Argosy, Vol. 119, No. 2 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

of SEVEN MINUTES AFTER. | 179 chief. Araminta had been unable to conceal her surprise, and the situation was amusing. Miss Selden’s Seminary was the most exclu- sive school in New York. Araminta herself had never graced its doors. Probably “iiss Selden would not have considered her appli- cation, despite her beauty and wealth. So many things had to be taken into considera- tion before one was admitted to that edu- cational holy of holies. She sat up, eying Robinetta with a new respect. However simple and outspoken this girl seemed, she must be all right, since she had been a pupil at Miss Selden’s. ‘“ And you were all alone there for years,”’ she said, ‘while your brother was in Europe?”’ Conflicting emotions showed in Miss Cortland’s vivid little face. She dropped the sprightliness that she had shown since David’s departure and allowed her real mood to emerge. “Ves,” she said, “if you can ever be alone in a girl’s school. You see, I had lost my father, and David had gone oif to seek vengeance. It was terrible at first.” Miss Ferndale drew her chair a little nearer. Tony wished she wouldn’t; some- how this seemed to him a time that they three—Robin, Araminta, in her unexpect- edly sympathetic mood, and himseli—inight have had without the addition of the secre- tary. He saw tears in Robinetta’s eyes, held back steadily by force of will. “ You remember, Tony ’—she called him by the name David always used without appearing to notice that she was doing it— ‘how hard David took father’s death. He —Miss Letherby, he was commissioner here, head of the best and most efficient police force New York ever had, they say; he was ousted from office and killed—killed by what they said about him. ‘“Seme one was responsible for his dis- grace in the eyes of the world, and David went away, vowing to find out and punish him, whoever it was. It couldn’t have been more than one or two men at the most; David suspected one. He left me in board- ing-school; he thought I was too young to knowémuch about it, but—at night I used to think and think. You see, David didn’t send me many letters.” She kited her eyes, still tear-filled, with a pathetic appeal the more pathetic in that it was unconscious—fur understanding. © ‘Of course I was very little,” she said, ‘but I vowed vengeance, too. I used to spend all my holidays out at Shepherd, in Idaho, roaming over the hills and learning things from all kinds of people. A Mexi- can greaser taught me how to use a stiletto; a few of our own cowboys taught me how to rope and throw a larsat. I can shoot like a man, through my pocket. If ever I meet the hypocrite and thief who broke papa’s heart, I know what to do to him.” ‘“T think you’re wonderful,” said Tony. “Tsn’t she.” Araminta’s white hand caught and held the little cold one that had clenched with the vigor of its owner’s speech. ‘‘ But now, little girl, you mustn’t spend your time thinking thoughts like these. You’re due for a happy time, lawgh- ter and gaiety; love, perhaps; all the things we women crave. i am stupid; I can’t express my thoughts very well, but I know that you can gain more by being womanly and sweet and gentle than by using—a gun. Can’t she, Anita?” ge | don’t, exactly, know,” Miss F erndale- said. “ Pd rather shoot my enemy than scheme and cajole to catch him.” ‘‘ But I was forgetting about the enemy; Miss Cortland must doe the same if she can.”’ Araminta’s eyes sought Tony’s. ‘‘ So young | and lovely, and all this bottled up inside the pretty head.” “ By Jove! you know, I think Miss Leth- erby’s right,” said Tony Fane. He looked deep into the gray eyes that had recently been full of tears. They were hopeless with grief for a flash, then blazing with fire into his. And suddenly this girl of many moods, Western, Eastern, whatever she called her- self, but different—different a thousand times from any gitl he had ever met, smiled at him softly. “You advise me to forget—this?” she said. There on her palm lay that little auto- matic. Araminta drew a long breath. Anita Ferndale uttered a sharp exclamation, and bent over, looking at it. ‘‘ Loaded?”’ she asked. “Loaded? Always!” Robinetta aifirmed. (E(0) EComicbooks