The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

614 face, with its devil-may-care, black eyes. Involuntarily, he bestowed a nod of approval on the reflection, and a smile which showed his perfect teeth; then, with a glance at the clock, he snatched up his hat and was off. It was about fifteen minutes after his departure that the assembled forces took up their somewhat irregular march, and, as he traveled at a faster gait than they, he had covered almost half the distance up the mountain before he became aware of their sortie. Then, as he rounded a ledge and gazed back along the way he had come, he beheld down in the valley below the twinkle of a score or more of lanterns, and could make out the confused, strag- gling line negotiating the ascent of the first slope. An enraged oath burst from Hart’s lips. His eye flashed, and his brow grew dark. It was no part of his plan to have the meeting between himself and Gladys Burke witnessed by a motley horde, neither did he care to stand aside an:l let them go on without him. He wanted her this first evening of her arrival for himself alone. Hart hesitated a moment; then, step- ping around the corner of a huge rock which jutted out across’ the trail, he waited until the vanguard of the ap- proaching host had almost reached him. Then he stood suddenly forth and, with folded arms and scowling gaze, barred the way. ‘What does this mean?” he demand- ed roughly. The Whiffet, who, on the strength of his imposing attire, had been jauntily acting as leader, almost turned a back somersault at the unexpected appearance of the lawyer. ‘Why, jedge,” he stammered. “ Why, jedge, we was—”’ Then the words stuck in his throat. and he could only stare white-faced and goggle-eyed at his questioner. ‘“What does this mean?” Hart’s deep voice boomed forth. This time Dave Richards, one of the strong men of the camp, took it upon himself to answer. ‘“ We've started out to call on Miss Burke.” he said. Again THE ARGOSY. Then a dozen other voices chimed in. ‘Yes, we decided to pay our respects to her in a body, an’ tell her that she’s welcome to Lame Creek. . Thar ain’t noth- in” wrong about that, is thar, jedge?”’ Hart sneered mockingly. “ Nothing wrong?, Oh, no. It’s only enough to scare her out of her wits to see such a Falstaff’s army as this come loping out of the woods.” Then his mood changed, and he waved an imperative arm down the trail. “Turn right around and go back, every one of you,” he commanded an- grily. “ Didn’t I tell you-that Miss Burke was not to be intruded upon until I gave the word?” But this did not at all suit their humor. Was all their holiday planning and preparation to be wasted ? For an instant they wavered, so ac- customed were they to accepting Hart’s orders; then their faces grew sullenly rebellious, and a storm of mutinous mur- murs arose. Big Dave Richards, pushing Whiffet to one side, took the lead, and a dozen brawny fellows ranged up by him, making ominous show that they were ready to contest the right of way by force, if necessary. Hart quickly saw that he must com- promise. His very leadership itself was threatened, and if he was to gain any- thing of his desires he must at least hold them in partial control. ‘““Oh, very well, then,” he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. “If you are bound, bent, and determined upon going, don’t let me interfere. The trail is free to all, I suppose, and I have no right to dictate whom the lady shall or shall not receive. I merely thought that she would naturally be fatigued to-night. and would much prefer to sit quietly and learn something of her inheritance and of conditions here, rather than to meet a whole raft of strange people whom she did not expect to see. ‘““I may be entirely wrong about this, though,” he admitted, dropping into that persuasive tone which was one of his chief assets; “and she may be just as eager to meet and make friends with her new neighbors as you are to welcome her. “Tl tell you what T’ll do,” as though EO OO the — (©