Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

362 ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE, “I don’t wish to remain here, but I choose that in preference to your aid.” The man, who had bent forward to lift one cover of the engine, straightened up at that. He considered her intently and in silence for a time, marking her heightened color, the haughty poise of her head, the firm set of her lips, “To my knowledge, I never saw you be- fore in my life,’ he remarked at last. “What, may I ask, is your particular rea- son for declining my services?” She was dumb for a little, while she tucked back a stray tendril of hair. The act was performed with the left hand; and Weir’s eyes, which seldom missed anything, observed a diamond flash on the third finger. “Well, Vd also choose not to speak,” said she, afterward, “ but if you insist—” “T don’t insist, I merely request—your highness.” : A flash of anger shot from her eyes at this irony. “Don’t think I’m afraid to tell you!” she cried. ‘It’s because you’re the man- ager of the construction camp; and if you’ve never seen me before, I’ve at least had you pointed out to me. I wish no assistance from the man who turns off his poor work- men without excuse of warning, and brings ‘want and trouble upon the community. it was like striking them in the face. And then you break your promise not to bring in other workmen!” As she had said, she did not lack cour- age. Her words gushed forth in a torrent, as if an expression of pent-up and outraged justice, disclosing a fervent sympathy and a fine zeal—and, likewise, a fine ignorance of the facts. “Well, why don’t you say something?” she added, when he gave no indication of replying. Pe Steele could have smiled at this feminine view of the matter that violent assertions required affirmations or denials. ‘““ What-am I supposed to say?” he asked. Apparently that exhausted her patience. “You'll please molest me no longer,” she stated, icily. “Very. well.” He raised the hood and inspected the en- gine. During his attempts to start it, she sat nonchalantly humming an air and gazing ~ at the mountains as if her mind were a thou- sand miles away—which it was not. “Something wrong; it will have to be hauled in,” said he finally. No reply. Steele returned to his own car, and driving into the creek-bed worked his way around her. When he was on the far bank, he rejoined her again, carrying a coil of rope. One end of this he fastened securely to the rear axle of her runabout. “What are you going to do, sir?” she demanded, whirling about on her seat and glaring angrily. “ Drag you out.” ‘You'll de nothing of the kind!” ““Oh, yes,” was his calm response. “ Against my wishes, sir?” “ Certainly.” “This is abominable!” ‘« Perhaps.” “Vl put on the brakes.” And put them on she did, with a savage jerk. But, nevertheless, Weir’s powerful ma- chine dréwher car slowly up out of the creek upon the road, where he forced it about until it pointed toward San Mateo. Then he retied the rope on the front axle. “Now for town,” said he. ‘““ Why did you haul me out of there? I demand to know.” “Why? Because you were a public ob- struction, blocking traffic. If you had re- mained there long enough, you would have become a public nuisance, and it’s the duty of every citizen to abate nuisances. No one would-call you a nuisance, of course—not to your face, at any rate. But travelers might have felt some annoyance if compelled to drive around you; they might even have had you arrested when they learned you were acting out of wilful stubbornness.” In a sort of incredulous wonder, of charmed horror, the girl heard herself thus unfeelingly described. ‘“ You—you barbarian!” she cried. “Ready? We're off for town now.” “T’ll-run my car in the ditch and wreck it if you so much as pull it another inch!” “T don’t like to'be frustrated in my gen- erous acts; they are so few, according to common report. Well, we’ll leave the car, but it must be drawn off the road,” ‘ comicbooks-com