Argosy, Vol. 112, No. 2 — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

236 THE ARGOSY. “ Well, he says he can’t marry the daugh- ter of a man like you,’ Ruth answered. “He thinks, too, that this rough life has spoiled me; and I guess it’s all true. He expects to marry a lady some time, and I guess he ought to. Some day he'll have a fine house and servants and all that, and where would I be then?” | “You love this man, do you?” Pete asked with dangerous calm. ‘ He loves you? You really want to marry him?” ““T do. Indeed I do. I know he loves me; and I love him.” Pete drew himself up to his six feet two and stretched his big arms above his head. ‘“ Tve always gave you what you wanted within reason, haven’t 1?” he asked. Ruth nodded. “Leave everything to me, then,’ Pete said, and he ducked out of the tent. IV. RuTH sat within the tent, wondering if she had done and said everything just as her lover had instructed her to do and say it. She thought she had. When he had given his instructions, after she had said she couldn’t marry him without her father’s consent, she had wondered just how they would smooth the path to the altar. But Royce had seemed supremely confi- dent of the outcome. He had said that Pete was the type of man who fattened on op- position. He agreed that it would be a shame if Ruth parted from her father in anger or ran away and left him alone. He said that if she would do what he told her to do Pete would give his consent. She sat on in the tent for ten minutes. She could not guess what the next develop- ment would be. Of course her father would seek out Royce, but what would he do? She leaped to her feet as that question came to her. She saw now what her father would do. While she had talked to him her thoughts had been with Royce. Love- mists had shrouded her usually keen percep- tion. Why, her father knew only one way to overcome a man who opposed him. That way was to beat the man. And Royce wasn’t nearly so big as her father. the edge of a dim woods. She ran to the tent flap and looked out. Neither her father nor Royce was in sight. But a strange man stood before the mess- tent, looking about. None of the gang was to be seen. Ruth hastened over. to the stranger. ** Something I can do for you?” she asked as an introduction. ‘‘ Have you seen my father or any of the men?” ‘I haven’t,” the stranger replied. “ I’m O’Leary, foreman from No. 3 camp. I was lookin’ for your dad. I sent a man over here to work for him. It was Sunday evening, and I thought I’d just run over to see how they was hittin’ it off.” ‘““You mean Mr. Royce?” ic Huh?” ‘You mean Mr. James Royce, who came from your camp to work for father?” “Yes, I mean him—James_ Royce. That’s it. A high-soundin’ name for a high- steppin’ fella.” Ruth stared about her. She couldn’t imagine what had happened to make the camp a deserted place. As she looked, she caught sight of the cook running across a field in the rear of the tent. ‘“ Here,” she called—‘ here, Jiggers! Wait a minute!” The cook stopped, looked undecided, and seemed about to go on again. Ruth ran after him. O’Leary ran after Ruth. They caught up with the cook. ‘“Where’s father? Where’s all the gang? Where are you going?”’ Ruth panted. “Your father took Royce up in the woods — to pick daffydowndillys, so he said,” the cook answered. “ He told the gane to stay where they was. Me, I had to get the breakfast ready to be cooked. I’m just startin’. All the rest of them took after your dad and Royce the minute they was out of sight. It means ructions when your dad gets Royce up there in the woods alone.”’ ~ “Come on,” Ruth said. “ Dad will murder Mr. Royce.” They ran across the field and came to Into this they ran, and presently they came upon the gang. The men were hiding behind trees, — peering forth at a little clearing which was just ahead of them.