The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

912 face so rich in expression faded into a woful seriousness. Abstractedly, he caught up his hat. ‘“T am very much ashamed of my- self, Mrs. Gilbert,” he apologized. “I hope you will forget | ever spoke to you so. In future I wish to enjoy your friendship and confidence, while you may rest assured of my knowing my place well enough to keep it. JI meant to tell you that I am occupying your teepee tent. It is within call, not over six paces off.” : For a moment Peggy could not an- swer. She watched him walk toward the entrance, a trace of dejection in his movements that touched her almost against her will, He would have stepped out, but she called to him, “Dr, Lencia, I—please.”’’ As he swung around she continued: “I wanted to thank you for looking aiter my husband, and—I’m lonesome. I don’t like to stay alone.” Flustered at the boldness of her words she could not look at him after this. She lay with closed eyes, while he retraced his steps, lighted the candle, and took a seat near her, “T have turned into a genuine sim- pleton, haven’t I?” he said, unmistaka- ble pleasure in his tones. “ As far as my poor services in your behalf are con- cerned I would gladly perform them again. By the way, speaking of our mutual troubles, here’s something that will interest you. The storekeeper at Dugout, Jim Miles, has been arrested. “There are two charges against him —smugegling and manslaughter. The latter has to do with Pete’s death, [I believe. Concerning the former — he was taken by some special agent of the Treasury Department for being the ‘fence ’ and ringleader of a gang—that, 1 understand, has been operating over the border for a number of years. ‘Uncle Sam is a mighty severe rela- tive when you cross him. He is unre- lenting, and, strange to say, has the disagreeable habit of getting whoever he goes after. J remember on one oc- casion in the Blackfoot country in THE ARGOSY. Montana— Pardon speak?” On the verge of collapse Peggy, how- ever, rallied desperately, simulating a violent coughing spell, to which her companion responded with a dipper of water, But the interruption served to discourage further talk, and thereafter he lit a cigarette and mused, blowing smoke wreaths at the tent roof. To Peggy his silence was a welcome relief. Her mind floundered, and she was drawn by a fearful fascination to me, did you a rehearsal of her predicament. For predicament it now really was. Machado was again right, He had mentioned the presence of a govern- ment man in the neighborhood, and with equal positiveness declared that he searched for her. Dr. Lencia cor- roborated the first part of the statement —might there not be truth to the second? She reasoned out its likelihood with a sinking heart, for it struck her that the Mexican, because of his standing as culprit, would find it essential to his in- terests to keep informed of his enemy’s movements. | She had no doubt that this he did through his many compatriots scattered along the frontier. What then must she do? Instinctive- ly her thoughts turned to the physician —that good friend who had but now made known his love for her. She de- liberated upon confiding in him, placing herself under his guidance, and carry- ing out his injunctions. However, the realization that this would mean the addition of greater dis- grace upon her dead husband’s memory, entailing as it did a complete admission of his guilt, caused her to dismiss the notion. Dr. Lencia must never know, she de- — cided, and experienced a strange anx- iety over the fact that she might lose in his estimation were he to learn of Pete as a lawbreaker. Besides, how could she hope to con- vince him of her innocence, since she would be making a plea for his pro- EOPMIC LOOKS (©)