The Argosy, June 1904 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

THE FOOL'S POCKET. fer father can send back for the cart if it is worth saving.” “YVowre right, Mr. ?7? Yuever- ing waited. | Buf Lynn was helping Bertha to- P| Ward the aio hear. “Shepard’s his name.” Chris. said, and it seemed to Lynn as though he shouted the werd. But Bertha did not and Lynn was glad. ' Tf he could onty get Chris aside and try to tix the matter up with him! He felt desperate cnough to choke the fool before they had gone a mile, however. Bertha, Lynn, and the boy occupied the rear seat of the auto. Chris faced around half the time, talking to them. He was evidently ereatly taken with Bertha’ face. He could not keep his eyes olf her. “7 shall remain overnight at Vads- tow, Miss Hawley,” Orrin Levering said as they drew sw iftly near the village of Pebblefon. “4 am going there 46 at- tend io some of my father’s business. Tell Mr. Jackson Hawley that I wilt call ou i to-morrow, an d stand ready and appeared not to scem to notice, to do whatever ts right about that horse and cart. And I can onty express again to you my sorrow over the aceident. The auto stopped before the Hawley premises and the boy and Lynn leaped out, the latter assistine Bertha to dismount. “UL drop in orm vou myself to-mor- row, Miss Hawley,” said Gregory with superb cheek, “and see how you are. Vl be over to see Mr. Shepard, any way. He waved his hand gaily as the red machine sped away along the road. Lynn stood, flushed and angry, looking at the girh “What did he mean?” she asked him. her brows contracted, her cyes, whose penetrating qualities he had mentioned in his sister’s letter, boring through hun. “Is not vour name Lynn?” “Tiis. But it is Shepard * Ah—shepard Lynn?” “No, Miss Bertha. My Tivnn Shepard.” “But why—l do not understand. Why did not vou give us your last 22 also.’ name is PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG CO al Ghoo ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED 495 name, sir? JI do not understand it at all.” “T expected you would understand when you heard my last name. That ts why I kept it to myself. My father was James shepard.” “James Shepard—James Why, the name does sound familiar to me.” She looked away, her brows sti knit in thought. “ Yet I caunot place it.” | “My father knew your grandfather in California, Miss Mawley,” luynn ex- Shep plained. “ He had little to do with him; but James Shepard and Preston Shaw were partners in a mine called the Fool’s Pocket.” “Ah!” she cried, flashing a glance at him. “f think I know now. You have come here to see Miss Shaw, then — Aunt Mary, as we call her? She sometimes tells us something about her brother, and how somebody tried to find him and attempted to force her—— “There! £ reraember more clearly now. The man’s name was Shepard. And you are his son?” ce es, a2 “But why aia you not come ee Why did vou ceceive us by not telling your pi me? Wi we do you suppose my father will says “Your father would have known at once, | believe, what I came here for if I had told him my name.” “What is it vou have come for?” asked the girl. “My rights. Mine and my sister’s. And Mary Shaw or your father can help us to them. But I do not know whether either of them will be willing to do so.”’ “Why, this is most strange, sir! Do you mean to intimate that father is withholding anything that is rightly yours ?” “Not exactly. Tet me tell vou, Miss Hawley. Not here, for there is not time. But do let me tell you before you form any opinion at ali regarding my action.” 6 Cami you not tell me briefly what you want? “ she asked, tapping her foot impatiently on the eround. “Tt is too long a story to be briefly explained,” he declared firmly. “ And, besides, 1 see your father coming this way low.” S ©