Adventure Magazine Cover — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

20 “No, I reckon you don’t. I guess I’ve got you sized up now. It’s about like I thought. You ain’t good enough to care for anybody or anything. If I’d ’a’ known Tom Hall was wastin’ his time with any- thing like you I’d ’a’ taken a punch at his fool head if it cost me my life. Your Oh, —”” The crimson-faced girl made a quick motion to slam the door just as Pete dis- cerned a figure in white behind her. “What is the matter?’ came a quiet voice. “This man’s crazy,” snapped the blonde. “He came up here and started gabbin’ somethin’ about some Tom Hall. Then he got insulting. The nerve of him!” “Oh.” Quietly. “I'd better attend to this, Mary. Go up-stairs.”’ “Mary?” exclaimed Pete. ‘That aiti’t the name I’m after. Her name’s Helen.” “T am Helen. Won’t you come in?” “Oh. Excuse me. Yes, ma’am.” While Pete’s hulking figure swung through the door he revised his opinion of Tom’s girl. It was not that she was slim, graceful and owned a straight profile, nor was it her smooth skin or intelligent brown eyes. It was her expression that counted. She was not so super-beautiful, but her face had a wholesomeness that made up for any defects. Somehow Pete felt more at ease. He accepted a chair in a great drawing-room and quit fiddling with his broad-brimmed hat, though the elegance of the house awed him. The gilded mirrors, tasseled draper- ies, plush chairs and marble mantel were in those days the height of grandeur. As he appraised the place the old desert- rat doubted that these people were “‘broke.”’ I-xpensive splendor was on every side. He — knew nothing of mortgages or a struggle to keep it up. He saw only what he saw. But the girl had seated herself. He cleared his throat. “I’m Pete Dolliver. ner.” The girl recovered quickly. “Then I am very glad to meet you in- deed. How is he?” ‘“He’s all right, ma’am. You might say he’s considerableimproved. Fact is, I reck- on he’s rich.” “Why—that’s wonderful! If ever a man deserved it, Tom Hall does. If you only knew how he has struggled since child- hood— But how did it happen?” Tom Hall’s pard- Adventure “Tt ain’t happened yet, ma’am, but it looks as if it will. Me and Tom stumbled on fo the finest vein of gold-ore you ever seen.” ‘And you own it?”’ “Yes, ma’am. Every inch of it.” “Why, that’s splendid. I couldn’t be more pleased if I had found it myself. Did—did Tom send you here to tell me?”’ “No, ma’am. He doesn’t know I came. He doesn’t even know I know where you live.” “Oh!”? Helen’s eyes rounded as she gazed at the awkward old fellow, and then she looked at the tips of her ties. “It’s very kind of you to tell me this, Mr. Dolliver,” she remarked gently. “I fully appreciate your courtesy.”’ : Pete’s skewered eyes caught the glint of a handsome diamond ring on her left hand. He decided to start something. [a “YOU'RE goin’ to git married, oa ain’t your” <™ She flushed, but the wrinkle-faced stranger did not mean to be offensive. “Ves,” she admitted. Her voice seemed to plead against continuing the subject. Pete caught the vague inflection and made amends. “Tom savs he’s a pretty decent sort of a feller.” “Tom ould say something like that.” “Ves, ma’am. He’s a game sport, but that don’t git him anything.”’ “Get him anything?”’ She looked at Pete, puzzled. “Mr. Dolliver, just what was your motive in coming here today?”’ , “Me? Why, I thought mebbe I could straighten things out.” “Straighten what out?” It was exceedingly awkward. Pete fer- vently wished he were out of it—preferably on some hot, blistery, ant-covered sand- hill where he could feel more at home. Hopelessly stumped, he finally obeyed a natura] instinct to smash his way out, let- ting the wreckage fall where it might. “Tom said you’d given him the go-by so you could marry some other feller.” The utter impertinence of this intimate remark from a total stranger made Helen catch her breath. The color left her face. She could only stare. Pete managed to get it after a while. COMIGHOO S CO