Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

764 have had the better of me with all the to- bacco gone. He’s a sly devil.” “ Then why do you worry him so? Leave him alone and he will leave you alone. You make him do these things.” The sergeant gazed upon her wearily. “Ye dinna understand. He is wanted by - the police.” ‘Qh, wanted by the police!” she mim- icked him. ‘‘ He would not be wanted by the police if you did not so stupidly want him!” 7 Her logic amazed MacQuillan without convincing him. ; ‘“‘ Annette,”’ he admonished her, “ ye’ll do well to stay out of this. It is a man’s game and I must do my duty. Stay out of it, lassie, or ye’ll fall foul of the law yersel’.” Her dark eyes flashed upon him darkly. “ Sarjon!” she cried with a piquant scorn. “You once came to me and said that you were my friend. Do you remember. that day; that evening?”’ .. He frowned and nodded. He remem- bered well enough. ‘“ More than friend,” was the expression he had used. Ever a man of reserve, he didn’t like this turn the talk was taking. “ Ver’ well,” she summed the matter suc- cinctly. “‘ Now I come to you and tell you of a thing a friend can do to assist me. I ask you to help. And then you make . me a threat. Ees that the friendliness you - meant?” ‘“‘ Will the girl never stop talking?” asked MacQuillan of the empty air. “Ye will not have the right of it, Annette, so what’s the use? I tell you that my job is to have this callant, if I comb all Canada for him. He iis a criminal, can ye no grasp that? To me he is a criminal, and I must have him. ‘“‘ And I must prosecute all and any who give him succor. So stay out of it as I have told ye. Ye’ve broken laws enough now to place ye in the jail.” At that she rose from her chair and, step- ping forward, placed her hands upon his table and leaned across it toward him, her brown eyes very earnest. “ And I tell you that I cannot stay out!” more than a friend to me, Sergeant Mac- “You said that you would be ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Quillan. Well, we cannot decide those things for ourselves, and I could not say yes. But this man, eet was decided for me; he ees more than a friend to me. He ees like his name—Argent; sterling silver—and I love him! I cannot stay out of it, for this Billee ees my—my more than friend!” Then, to. the everlasting creditwf the scar- let, Staff Sergeant MacQuillan arose and grasped the girl’s strong young hand. ‘“* Aye!” he rumbled in rich sincerity. ‘“ Aye, Annette. I know. I’ve long thocht ‘twas so. I know, I know.” She drew back, relieved. ‘““ And that ees why I say you must leave him alone,” she said. “ He ees good. He ees innocent of any crime.” ‘“ Aye,” said MacQuillan. “Aye. It does ye credit, Annette. It does ye great credit to speak for him.” She smiled radiantly upon him, happy in this new understanding. “Then we are good friends?” pleaded. : “ Aye. > P ‘‘ And he also ees your good friend?” MacQuillan grinned. “Aye. I’ve ever had a liking for the man,” He escorted her to the door, opening it that she might pass. “You and Billee,” she murmured hap- pily. ‘“ You are good friends.”’ 3 ‘Aye. It’s sorry I am that I’ve got to run him down.” She wheeled. ‘““ But you are friends!” He frowned, hopeless of reconciling this woman to his staid philosophy. ‘And I am also a staff sergeant of the Mounted Police,’ he pointed out. She concentrated upon him a look of bitter scorn and something akin to dislike. ‘““ You-00-00-00-00!” she cried; and that is when Smedley came in. -MacQuillan pounced upon the boy as if he himself were a drowning man and Smed- ley the proverbial straw. “What is it, laddie?” he cried. “ A letter for Sergeant MacQuillan,” an- nounced the ardent youth. He literally she shoved the missive into the sergeant’s hand and turned for the door. But MacQuillan, = —¢€omicbooks-co oe aS * SF ee ee nt eg SSE ae le ne he .* S... — pie se