The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

’ 286 her daughter, sort of hoped that Gentle- man Jim was right. Martin Reeves, how- ever, had left the East to make his mark in the West, and if the Forty-Niners really had designs on Chicago he was prepared to resign well on the sunset side of Missouri. Now all guesses were left more or less up in the air by that halt on the Rocky Spur siding, for there were indications that the stay was to be permanent. Reeves, climbing down from Number One Sleeper, looked around at the hills reeling away into the horizon on all sides. Al- though mystified he was not disheartened. A clear sky was overhead, a bright sun touched the hills rosily with high lights and lavender shadows, and there was a crisp tang to the air that quickened his pulses and inspired reflections on the beauty of life. “Dear me!” murmured a voice behind him. ‘Marty, what does it all mean?” He turned to behold Lady Ann, fresh and pretty as the morning itself, stand- ing on the lower step of the car. “Up so early?” he asked. ‘We needn’t care what it means, Lady Ann,” he went on, swinging her lightly from the step to the ground. “Any change in our fortunes could scarcely be for the worse. Just fill your lungs with this air, and be happy.” A tousled head was thrust from one of the car windows—a handsome blond head whose strong face and flashing blue eyes were those of a Viking. “The Tenderfoot’s advice is good, Lady Ann,” said the man in the window. “This old world isn’t half bad, if you'll only think so; and to the venturesome, let me remind you, all things are possible.” Miss Bobbett greeted this sally with a smile. Reeves, on the contrary, was not amused. Jim Rayner was all for Jim Ray- ner, a point which rather marred Jim Ray- ner’s philosophy. “Why don’t you get out of that stuffy car, Gentleman Jim,” urged the Tender- foot, “ and stir around a little before break- fast?” “Every man his own way, Reeves,’ re- turned Gentleman Jim, smothering a yawn. “Exercise before breakfast never made much of a hit with me.” Ann Bobbétt and Reeves walked down the main track to the station, inspected the pumping plant and the water tank, and then strolled along a dim trail that apparently led over the hills to Nowhere. In this way THE ARGOSY. an hour was consumed, and the gong of Ah Sin, the cook, reaching their ears faint- ly, caused them to hurry back to the “diner.” The Forty-Niners made it a point, each and every one, never to miss a méal. They were all at table when Lady Ann and the Tenderfoot dropped into their places. At one end of the board sat Castle, and at the opposite end sat Robbins. The senorita flashed a gay look into the rosy faces of Miss Bobbett and Reeves. “A long walk you have had with your caballero, Lady Ann,” said the Mexicana, swerving her lustrous eyes for a moment upon Rayner. “Did it put an edge to your appetite, I wonder?” “Don’t wonder about that,” spoke up Gentleman Jim cheerfully. ‘All the won- der, this morning, is reserved for Castle and Robbins. We wait with patience to have them explain why we are here.” The proprietor of the Camp looked dubi- ous. The others gathered, from this, that he was perhaps not so well informed as they had supposed. Robbins laughed. : ‘‘At the other end of the table,” said Robbins, ‘“‘you behold a Castle in the air. He knows we are here for a purpose, and that you are to receive your board and keep and salaries. Also, he has substan- tial proof that our venture will be profitable to him personally. I am now about to ring up the curtain on the Big Idea. Be- fore I do that, though, ladies and gen- tlemen, we must have a little understand- ing.” Ears were pricked up at this. “YT was afeared there might be a come- back to this run o’ luck,” muttered Cata- mount Cal, sadly. “It looked a heap too good to be true.” ‘“What’s the string to it?” inquired Billy Vince. Castle made a reassuring gesture. “Now don’t go off the jump before Rob- ; bins tells you the rest of it,” he urged. “The understanding is nothing more than a condition, easily complied with. Go on,” and he finished with a nod to Robbins. “Can you all be Forty-Niners for a month,” asked Robbins, running his gaze comprehensively around the long table, “without side-stepping the old times and customs? I won’t have any modern lapses. If there is a man or woman present who feels that he or she can’t play a Forty- Niner’s part every minute of the thirty GomiGcdooks (E@