Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

834 remote. Here, warm and clear, they hung almost in reach of picking. She caught the strains of the orchestra at Slim’s Hall. Only a half hour before Archer Mackenzie had gone by with Sophy Sanders. Across the clear spaces had come Sophy’s light, soprano voice, her tinkling laugh. In the starlight Lynnie had caught glimpses of her party frock, the edges gleaming like icicles. “Well, deary, and how’s the camp treat- ing you?” Lynnie looked up startled into the kindly, cordial face of the Princess Aimee Ardelle. ‘Princess! I’m—I’m mighty glad to see you! JI was feeling lonesome. I believe . I was beginning to feel sorry for myself— and I never did that before in my life.” “Don’t begin now, child.” The princess sat down by her on the steps. ‘Is there anything troubling you special—anything,” she added shrewdly, as there came to them the sound of music, ‘‘ cept you are young and pretty and would like to go to the dance?” “ Well, that’s a heap,” laughed Lynnie. “So ’tis—so ’tis,’ the other responded tolerantly. ‘“‘ I haven’t forgot what it’s like to be young—” She shook her head im- patiently. ‘‘ Has your life been a happy one, prin- cess?” Lynnie ventured respectfully. “Tt ain’t what I planned for,” the other answered briefly. ‘“ But it might be worse. It’s a square life. I’ve had some hard licks, but I’m respected in this camp— even if I ain’t a society queen,” pronounced the princess, in whose mind memories ran- kled. “ You’ve been on my mind,” she veered abruptly, ‘‘ ever since I left you here that day. Tell me—how are you getting along?” In the face of this sincere interest Lynnie talked at length with slow, grave friendli- ness. She told of the loss of her certificate of mining shares. The princess listened in astonishment. ‘“ Well ’—she drew an enraptured breath —‘ you don’t mean to say that you are doing yourself out of three thousand dol- lars just for that old colored woman’s peace of mind?” ‘She would do more than that for me.” 7 & -most a minute. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Laughing, Lynnie told her of Aunt Jury’s good fortune, foretold in coffee grounds, which needed only a week more of realiza- tion. ‘And she’s cooking dinners for Rosy- belle Ricketts? What did I tell you that day at Indian Springs?” “Mrs. Ricketts is getting ready for a wonderful dinner party,” Lynnie went: on. ‘Aunt Jury is bursting with excitement over it.” ‘“ Huh! special.”’ ‘Yes, it is. It’s in honor of some people who are coming from San Francisco—a man and his wife. They’ve, surely impressed Aunt Jury with his greatness. She calls him the “ King of the World.” “Old H. B., I guess. Well, he does come pretty near being a king in this country. He’s got the controllin’ interest of all the big mines around here. All,” she amended thoughtfully, ‘‘ all ’cept the Jason’s Quest. Wait a minute—wait a minute, deary! / feel somepin like a trance coming on!” The princess stiffened, her eyes staring straight ahead. She sat motionless for al- Lynnie watched her in shuddering fascination. The princess sighed and relaxed. Lynnie drew her breath again. ‘* Umm—huh!” the psychic’s voice took on its friendly, natural quality. ‘‘ The old man’s playing on her social ambitions—he’s fetching his wife along. Well, he must want the Jason’s Quest mighty bad—” “ Princess,” Lynnie interrupted, not being at all interested in the ambitions of Mrs. Dudley Ricketts, nor in the financial schemes of initialed gentlemen. ‘ Princess, tell me about Sophy Sanders. Do you know her? Do you know her mother?” ‘“* Her mother—Sophronia Sanders? Well, I should say I do know her. I knew her in Nome! They’re a queer couple,” the prin- cess went on, laughing tolerantly, ‘‘ So- phronia and little Sophy! I'll never forget the day in Nome that Sophronia came to consult me. (I was a trance medium and psychic palmist then, same’s now.) She was troubled. J said to her: ‘ Sophonia,’ I said, ‘I’ve always heard that bruises and pearls are, what you might say, causes and effects. And,’ I said, ‘there’s nobody ’ll Ccommicooao Must be something mighty SaCO) inn