The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

ittle a Katharine (ij Egélest on, _@ Author of “‘ Buckskin Beauty,” “The Taming of Fierce Elton,” etc. WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. EN MOORE, defeated for election as mayor of the town he had labored to benefit, by Boss Leonard, was comforted by Rose Leonard, the boss’s daughter, who told him her father did not wish him to be elected as mayor because he meant to make him Governor of the State. Moore inwardly resented the implication that he -would become the tool of Leonard; but Rose was very beautiful, and almost before he realized what he was doing he proposed to her and was accepted. A bit disquieted with himself, and needing a rest, he abruptly left town for his ranch in New Mexico, which was managed by a person named F. Fleming, whom he had never seen, but who evidently was an excellent manager. Upon his arrival he met an exceedingly attractive young woman who seemed to have a sur- prising grasp of affairs. Moore as her father, the manager. After a very earnest talk with an oldish man, she introduced the man to However, she seemed to dominate the old man; and at last Moore, who could not bear to see women doing mannish things, interrupted severely : “Miss Fleming, your father and I are men of affairs. May I suggest that. yeu devote yourself to matters more suited to a girl’s attention, and allow us men to attend to the ranch business?” CHAPTER V. THE SECRET BURIAL. EN MOORE wore his most masterful manner. He had let it grow on him somewhat during his experience as a leader of the people. The step he stood on was his rostrum. The girl was his audi- ence. He was very confident. But the effect of his pronouncement was a surprise to him. Fleming, before ill at ease and stupid, suddenly straightened up and stared. Then he turned sharply. Ben watched him with growing discom- fort. Then Fleming stumbled off with hunched shoulders after the cayuse that had already followed the cattle toward the corral. Ben whirled and looked at Miss Fleming. With golden brows drawn she was staring off across country and biting her pink lips. Moore tried to tell himself that it was chagrin he saw in her face.. But his com- mon sense repudiated the assumption. There was actually a hint of laughter subtly traveling over her, like a light that barely leaves the pressure upon a field of grain. “I believe you think you see something funny!” he said sharply. ‘* Oh, no, it’s just perfectly natural,” she said as if she were uncertain of her voice. ‘A man wants td run his own business,” he asserted. * That’s what I meant,’ she replied, but the veil was suddenly lifted and he saw her silent laughter unmistakably. He caught her pony’s bridle. He stared up into her face, compelling her gaze. This story began in The Argosy for December 22. 6x comicbookk