Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 1, 1922 — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

826 “‘ Great Scott, no!” said Gauthier. “She couldn’t do that, constable. It’s too rocky; not tevel enough.” . The woman smiled at Kemp in a manner that made him feel foolish. “Tf the war were still on, you could fig- ure out that I’m a German spy and want to use it as a signal station,” shé. commented teasingly. “Tf you’re quite sure that you want that worthless homestead, I suppose I’ll have to give it to you,” said Robinson as he pre- pared to resume his writing. Mrs. Carter msisted that she did, and the land agent filled out the blank. She signed it with an air of satisfaction, paid the filing fee, and thanked Gauthier for his services in hetping her secure it. She then asked where she could procure a motor boat, lumber for a shack, a pistol, and the services of a carpenter. ‘‘A pistol?’? queried Kemp. ‘“ You’re not going to shoot anybody, are you?” “TY hope not,” she replied. ‘‘ Certainly not except in self defense.” “ You don’t seem sure about it. Are you” expecting that you may have to shoot some one im self defense?” “No,” she answered shortly. Then her expression changed again to the winning wistfulness that had marked her when she first entered. “Thanks again for your kindness, gen- tlemen,” she said; then to Kemp: “ If you think I’m a desperado or a spy or some- thing awful tike that, you‘might drop in and see me some time, constabie, so { can prove to you that I’m not.” Kemp experienced an unaccountabie feel- ing of satisfaction. “Ti be glad to,” he replied. Mrs. Carter bade them good-by thea and left the land office. The three men stood gazing after her until she disappeared down the street in the direction of the iumber yard. “Odd, eh?” commented Robinson. ‘What do you suppose she’s up to?” “Beats me,” said Gauthier. ‘“‘ She’s the queerest woman I ever showed government land to. Happy as a kid with a new toy, one minute; fierce as a trapped timber wolf the next, then sad like as though she felt ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. like crying. I give her up. What do you think, constable?” Kemp was gazing down the street where the mysterious homesteader had disap- peared. He roused himself as though from a reverie. “I don’t know what to think either,” he said. iI, Ir was exactly one week later when Con- stable Kemp called on Alice Carter. It had been a bit of a task to keep away from her that long. To tell the truth, he was lonesome for the society of educated and cuitured women of his own class, and the strange homesteader was the first wom- an he had seen for some time who approx- imated his idea of what a woman should be. Kemp was no ordinary redcoat, even though, at the age of thirty-two, he was only a constable on smail pay. Before the war he was president of a large wholesale business that he. had inherited from his father, and even yet he held a controlling interest in it. As a member of the Cana- dian Expeditionary Force in France he had won medals for bravery and a captain’s commission. Back in Canada after the war, he found himself unable to plod along in a dull business rut again. His blood was too feverish; his mind too chaotic. His en- listment in the Royal Northwest Meunted Police was the result, and he had never re- gretted it. But now, as the term of his enlistment was drawing to an end, he felt more like settling down to a less venturesome life. At iast he had had enough of excitement and danger and travel. His thoughts had turned of late to a home; to a wife and kiddies, a newspaper under the readmg lamp and comfortabie slippers. He had not been foolish enough to fall in love with Alice Carter at first sight, but nevertheless he was forced to admit to him- self that there was something about her that attracted him. The mystery that sur- rounded her did not repel him; in fact, it only served to whet his mterest. He had really desired to call on her the day after he met her, but he had held off for three reasons: because he did not wish to excite comicloool C©