Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

715A She stood with the flour sifter poised in her hand, and listened intently. Her father, it seemed, had spoken first, and she had heard Billy’s voice raised cheerfully in its reply. “You don’t understand, Aymeel,” she heard him cry. ‘I came to see Annette.” “And I say that you cannot do that,” scolded her father. “I will have no crim- inal in my house.” “You will not,” assented Billy. ‘“‘ Where is she?” “Go!” roared the parent. “ Yes, but where? You didn’t say where she was.” , “I say get out! This house!” “Leave?” said Billy. come.” ‘“‘ Billee! I am here!” The artful girl had stopped only long enough to look at her hair. “ Annie!”’ said Bill. He caught her fa- Leave you this place! “T’ve only iust ther’s eye. “ Good evenin’, ma’am,” said he. 3 ‘Well you go!” demanded the stern parent. “ But he has come to see me!” protested his daughter. Her father fixed her with the counte- nance of Jove enraged. ““ Annette, you cannot have friends with this man. He is an outlaw. He must leave my house!”’ Billy smiled back at him. “Not now,” he said. ‘ We’re talkin’. Come back and put me out later.” “ Annette!”” Emile decided upon the parental attitude. “Send thees man away!” “Do you not hear heem, papa?” she cried. “He weel not go. He has some- thing to say to me. Then he weel go.” She beamed assurance. Emile turned darkly away from them. “Let him not be here when I return,” he warned, and left the room. Inasmuch as it was the living room and he departed through the front door, he also left the house. “Shucks!” said Billy ~~regretfully. ‘““Vore dad’s all excited.” But she was thinking of his welfare. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Why did you come here?” she asked. “‘T was ridin’ by, and it was cold.” * But they are hunting for you.” “Yes, and when people go hunting they leave home. The safest place in the world to be is right close to where they left from.” ; She was standing before the sofa near the fireplace, he in the center of the room. He walked over to her. “ Besides, I wanted to see you,” he said candidly. She smiled her appreciation. But her expansive romanticism was founded upon a really practical nature. “That is nice,” she said, “but if they should catch you it would not be so nice. My friend, the thing that makes me like to see you near me makes me want you never to come where I-am.” Billy, about to speak, stopped to con- sider this. “You mean yo’re worried?” “ But of course! I would not have them catch you. Do you know why they want you?” “Tt don’t signify. .They got to get me first.” “They want you for the crime of mur- der.” “Likewise they want the weather to stay warm. It don’t signify.” “ But for murder they hang you!” Billy hadn’t given it much thought. “But they won’t get me,” he pointed out. Annette sat upon the ugly sofa and gazed up at him with clear eyed common sense. “ Billee,” she said, ‘‘ I want you to do for me one thing.” “‘ Anything,” smiled Billy. ‘‘ When you look at me like that you remind me of Concho. You and Concho are women to know.” But Annette was not receptive. “T want you to ride over the border,” she said. “Where?” “Over the border. I want you to get away out of Canada. Quick! Oh, Billee, you must go! I cannot let them catch you!” - , Gomichooks.co x 1