The Argosy, April 1912 — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

98 THE ARGOSY. The Indian woman elected to stay close beside the girl. She didn’t trust the two men. “T don’t see how you can be so for- giving, Miss Temple,” observed the sheriff. “This poor creature is not to blame,” said Mildred. “She was merely following orders. When I explained things to her she told me she would help me to escape.”’ The squaw nodded her head by way of confirmation. “‘She’s really very good and kind,” con- tinued Mildred. “I think I would have gone crazy last night if she hadn’t had some humanity in her.” “ll see what I can get out of her,’’ de- clared the sheriff. Then, addressing the Indian woman, he said sternly: “Now, Watonka, I want to know all about the man with the mask.” The squaw shook her head. “Who is he?” demanded Border. ‘“No know,” affirmed the squaw. “You don’t know?” repeated Border. “No know,” said the squaw again. “These Indians!” exclaimed the sheriff in exasperation to Huntly. ‘They are enough to drive a sane man mad.” Turning again to the squaw, he asked: ‘Man give Watonka money?” ‘No, no,” replied the squaw. “He say —‘ soon.’ ” “What else did he sav?” demanded the sheriff. “Did he sav he would come back soon?” ‘““He no come back,” replied the woman. “He say, Watonka, take care white girl, till I send for her—long time. He show money, much money, and = say—‘ this yours.’ ”’ “You see,” said the sheriff, “we know as much now as we did in the beginning.” “Believe me,” replied Mildred, ‘“ Wa- tonka is all right. She didn’t know.” Border looked rather doubtful. “T’ll have to take your word for it,” he remarked dryly. ‘‘ Now, we had better get away. I wonder where the boys are. They ought to be here by now.” “Surely,” said Huntly. “They should have been here ahead of us.” “T’ll bet they followed the other trail, the one that branches off a few miles below here.”’ “What shall we do?” asked Huntly. “Oh, we will let them take care of them- selves,” replied Border. “We ain’t going to linger here any longer than is necessary, for there’s no telling what will happen. For all we know we are watched this very minute.” He looked cautiously about, but was evi- dently satisfied that his fears were ground- less. “Don’t think that the man in the mask intends.to leave this young lady solely to the guardianship of this Indian,’ he added wisely. ‘“ He’s too smart for that.” “How are we going to get Mildred and the squaw away unless we wait for the others with the horses?” Huntly wanted to know. “We'll have to manage the best we can,” answered the sheriff. “ My idea is to start home, even if we don’t get very far. You and I can walk and let the young lady and the squaw ride. It won’t be long before we get back to where the other trail crosses this one. By that time the boys will have dis- covered their mistake, and then we can take turns riding and walking.” “Oh, yes, do let us get away,” pleaded Mildred. “The place gives me the shivers. I shall never look at mountains again with- out recalling this terrible experience. Oh, if he were to return! ” “Don’t worry about that,” said Border in reassuring tones. ‘We two can protect you. He’ll never get you again. Trust to us for that.” With a lingering look in the direction of the cabin, Mildred, assisted by Huntly be- gan the descent up which she had made her way so disconsolately only a few hours before. “I never was so glad to see any one in my life as you, Ned,” she said, as she clasped her arm more closely in that of the young man. “It’s just like a romance—the idea that you should rescue me from that awful man.” “Tt certainly reads like a novel,” declared the sheriff, who had overheard. “Mr. Huntly happened along just at the right time.” “TI declare,” said Mildred, “the resem- blance is wonderful.” “What resemblance,” asked Huntly. “Why, between you and the man that carried me away. You even walk some- thing like him. Only the voice is differ- ent.” “Look here, Huntly,’ said the sheriff, with a forced attempt at pleasantry, “if I didn’t know that you were going to marry comicaoolkks CO