Argosy, Vol. 85, No. 3 — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

446 have done it if I badn’t been drinking. But I want to come back. I’ve had enough of the city. They’re all after a fellow’s coin. When they get it, they chuck him out on his head. You have haying to do. You’ve got to have some- body. I heard you Say so.” ‘““Oh, you heard that, did you?” in- terrupted Harden. ‘‘ Then you knew I was in the kitchen. Well, I’ll hire you for a week. But you must cut out the drink, and if I catch you hurting one of my horses again, I’ll send you to the hospital. Get that?” ‘All right. You can bank on me doing the right thing. You’ve got to say I can do as good a day’s work as any man you ever had.”’ “How did you get here from Lin- hampton? Didn’t walk, did you?” asked Harden suspiciously. ‘I didn’t pass you on the road. I’ve just come from there.” “Caught a ride on an automobile. Reckon I was in front of you as you came home. That’s why you didn’t pass me. I came right up to the house, and found the door open. I was looking for you when you grabbed me.” ‘Well, come on and get out the mower. You’d better cut that fifteen acres in the north field along the State road first.” While Garrett went about his work with an industry and skilfulness only second to his employer’s, Harden looked carefully through his big wood lot and assured himself that Claude Miller was not there. All the rest of the day he spent in riding about in his car, visiting many of his neighbors and making constant in- quiries. He had no success, and it puz- zled him. What had become of the man? About three o’clock, he came to the schoolhouse on the Town Line road. He could not help pulling up, to look through the window. He had a blurred vision of groups of restless heads and shoulders, but could not find Letha’s among them. He was just going on, when the door opened and she stood on the threshold. THE ARGOSY. ‘““T haven’t found Miller,” he an- nounced; “‘ haven’t seen him, have you?” His tone and manner were matter-of- fact, but there was a glint in his eyes as he looked at the fiushed cheeks of: this girl who had stirred him more in a few days than all the Gertie Kellys had been able to do in years. | ‘You have a man working for you, haven’t you?” she asked, evading his query. ‘‘I see somebody in that field above the barns, I thought it was you till you stopped here.”’ | “Tt’s Garrett, the man I: discharged for drunkenness. He asked to come back, so I put him to work cutting hay. But I don’t think I shall keep him. He’s a surly fellow, and I don’t care to trust him with my horses.” “Will he sleep in the house?”’ “No. Ill give him a cot I have in the loft over the stables. He used to sleep there about half the time when he was with me before. He would rather be there than in a regular bed. He’s tramped and beaten his way all over the country — worked in Dakota for two years—and he says the best bedroom in the world is a moving box-car. Well, I won’t keep you from your school. If you should happen to hear anything of Miller —but, of course, you won’t. How could you?” He acknowledged her smiling ‘ Good- by ” with a wave of his gloved hand and drove down the road to his f&{rm- As he got there he saw a big gray car gliding easily to a smooth halt in front of the barn, and Raymond Bates hailed him from a seat by the side of the driver. ‘“‘ Here we are, Brooke. Hope I haven’t kept you waiting.”’ Well, the crucial moment had arrived. Now, what was he to do? ‘“T suppose you have the jewelry at the house. Run the car to the side of the road, Turner!” he directed his chauf- feur. ‘‘ Now, Brooke, if you’re ready.” Raymond Bates had been accustomed all his life to having things done for him as he wanted without trouble to himself. comicloool C©