That Girl of Johnson's — page 146: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THAT GIRL OF JOHNSON’S. 135 deep draughts of the odorous, piny air, watched Dolores with grave, intent eyes until she turned from the door-way and entered the quiet house; then he turned away, and no one ever knew of what he was thinking, or the thoughts that would come of his friend over in the town who was leaving this girl in his care with the utmost confidence— the girl, he well knew, whom Charlie loved. And should he betray his trust to his friend? Should he prove a trai- tor? Should he let this kindly feeling for this brave, beau- tiful, womanly girl grow into more than merely friendly feeling, knowing of his friend’s thought of the girl. Could he be capable of that? She was, to be sure, a wonderful girl, shut in by her surroundings, but growing mentally thousands of miles beyond them. She was a woman a man should be proud to own as a friend—and more—in spite of her strange, unfriendly life in the stolid little mountain settlement. But—and there was a graver line of thought, a sudden deepening of the lines of nobility around the set mouth under the black mustache—would the love of even such a woman atone in any degree for the loss of manhood, the stain of a tratior? Charle had left in his hands the care of the girl he loved, and he would never—he straightened himself up to his full height in the low door- way and unconsciously clenched his hands—he would never betray his friend. Charlie was worthy even Dolores Johnson, and he would never be guilty of even an attempt. to come between him and the woman he loved, be she though she might a woman with the strength and depth and nobility of character which the daughter of this moun- tain blacksmith possessed. Then he turned, and the face was as graye, as apparently unconcerned as usual, as Cinthy called him to join the family at the table. Jones said among his comrades that Johnson’s ill luck had brought good luck to him, for during the years he had lived there, never before had so many such men as now sought his lodging. Gomicbooks (E(@)