Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

418 rest she was enjoying. She was enjeying it, for she was in a state of complete relax- ation, limp and passive. Shorty noted how lightly the long, curved eyelashes lay on her cheeks; how her feet—the booted ene and the bare one — dangled over Red King’s side with a limp abandon that was eloquent of complete surrender to physical weari- ness. And Shorty told himself that the cause of his delay in awakening her was merely conipassion. He knew she needed rest. But deep within him lurked anether reasen —he wanted to continue to leok at her while she slept. . And so he did net awaken her. He sat there long, leoking at her, while the eastern light grew strenger and the night shadews - began to lift. He had looked teward the buildings, searching for signs ef life. He saw no such signs. The doer ef the ranch-heuse was open; but ne smoke came frem the adobe chimney, and there was about the place an atmosphere of dead calm which seemed to hint of the absence of human beings. The girl’s father, Shorty decided, had gone to search for her. He was wendering what direction the man had taken, when he again looked downward, te see the girl looking straight up at him with astonished, bewildered eyes. Sherty smiled at her, and into her eyes came recollection, swift, complete. “Oh!” she said: ‘““T’ve been asleep!” “TI reckon I’d call it that,” agreed Shorty. ‘ You went to sleep settin’ in the saddle. I was afraid you’d fall out of it. You’ve been hittin’ it off pretty deep for more than an hour.”’ ‘Let me up—please! ” _ She struggled to an erect position; and Shorty squirmed back to the war-bag, . stretching his numbed muscles. “Why—we’re home!” exclaimed the Shorty smiled, enjoying the girl’s delight. He slipped down from Red King, moving slowly, and grinned up at her. “Seems like there’s nobody around, ma’am,” he said. “It’s likely your dad set out to look for you—after Blandell went away.” | ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Dad always worries about me,’ smiled. 7 There was embarrassment in the look she gave him—subtle inquiry. Shorty met her gaze with a steddiness that caused her eyes to glow with frank gratefulness. He knew what her look meant; she was thank- ing him for the honorable treatment he had accorded her while she had been asleep in his arms. She started to pet down; but his voice halted her: “TI wouldn’t walk on that foot any more than I could help, ma’am. Red King will carry you to the house.”’ Red King did carry her. Shorty helped her to dismount at the edge of a little porch at the rear of the ranch-house; and again —for a thrilling instant—Shorty held the girl in his arms. He could not have told what emetion caused her te blush as she rested fer a mo- ment in_his grasp; but there was no mis- taking the sensation that assailed him. - _ But he affected steadiness, and smiled at her. “TI reckon that’s all, ma’am; seyin’ along.” she I’ll be mo- “Won’t you wait until father returns?” She asked. “I should like to have him thank you for what you have done for me —I am sure he will be disappointed if he does not see you!” “ Vl be back, ma’am; I’m not goin’ far. Only to Loma.” “Oh!” she said; ‘ then you intend to stay for a time in this section?”’ ‘ A little while, anyway,” he said grave- ly; thinking of Larry Dillon. ‘“ You see, ma’am, my vacation is pretty nearly over— I’ve been loafin’ quite a spell. If I can heek up to some outfit around here, I'll likely do it. If I can’t, I'll drift.” ‘‘Qur ranch isn’t very big,” she said, looking away from thim; ‘and we don't employ many men. But [ heard father say he needs another man. If you’d wat until . he comes—” “T’m thankin’ you, ma’am,” he said. ‘Maybe I'll be back to have a talk with your dad.” He would have stayed, for he could have wished for nothing better than to secure comiclooolkks (COL