The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

- of 1 ou glas (Srant WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED EARN THODE, an American oil man in Mexico, is greatly attracted by “ Gentleman Geoff's Billie,’ an uncontaminated girl, who had been adopted in infancy by the gambler. The Limasito was raided by El Negrito and his bandits, and although Thode, at great risk, brought Carranzista soldiers, who routed the bandits, Gentleman Geoff was mortally wounded. With a weird old woman named Tia Juana, who knew the secret of Lost Souls’ Pool, a fabulous deposit of oil, Billie traveled into the mountains. Returning, she was informed by Mason North, a New York lawyer, that her rich grandfather had left her a fortune on condition that she allow Mrs. Halstead to educate her in the metropolis. She scorned at first to accept the legacy of the man who had practically killed her parents; but finally, as a plan shaped in her mind, she consented. In New York she met Starr Wiley, a millionaire oil operator, who had insulted her in Limasito, and who had been thrashed in consequence by Kearn Thode. He tried to win her love, but she spurned him. She brought Tia Juana and her hunchback grandson to the great city and secretly visited them, to the consternation of the aristocratic household wherein she lived and was being educated. She befriended Vernon Halstead and won his confidence and cooperation. She informed Starr Wiley that he had conspired with El Negrito to raid Limasito, and thus force American intervention in Mexico; and in return Wiley hinted at vengeance upon her if she did not persuade Tia Juana to reveal to him the location of Lost Souls’ Pool. CHAPTER XIV. THE KNIGHT ERRANT ONCE MORE. = E’LL be late,” Angie observed, as she and Willa waited in the draw- _ ing-room for the rest of the fam- ily to come down. It was the first remark she had volun- tarily addressed to her cousin since she had come upon the féte-d-téte in the library. ‘Not that I care, of course,” she con- tinued. ‘‘ These dinners are always stupid; but the Erskines are so horribly particular. I’ve heard that the bishop was late once, and they went in without him.” Willa smiled. “I wonder who will be there?” ‘“‘ The same old crowd, I suppose.”’ Angie shrugged. ‘‘ For Heaven’s sake, Willa, if they send you in again with Harrington Chase, don’t monopolize him as you did at the Wadleighs’. It’s horribly bad form; I wonder that mother didn’t tell you.” ‘** Did I monopolize him? I wasn’t con- scious of it,” Willa said reflectively. “‘ He interests me.” ; “‘ Evidently!”’ Angie sneered. ‘So do a few others, I imagine; but you shouldn’t show it so plainly. I admit that you’ve gotten on very well so far, but your meth- ods are still horribly crude.” ‘““My methods?” Willa was honestly This story began in The Argosy for December 8. 157 comicbool<