Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

_ FLIGHT TO the other man caught the words: “—kinder- ly amazed thet ye didn’t want ter climb Old Shaggy with ther furriner, Cynthy.” The girl turned and stood soberly looking into her companion’s face. They were so close together that the hills- man must have felt the intoxicating stir of her breath on his cheek, and Carroll saw him steady his muscles as a man may brace himself against a buffet of gusty wind—or passion. “Listen, Wade,” she declared. “I wish you’d stop trying to throw that man and me together. I wish you would.” The mountaineer opened his eyes in sur- prise, and Carroll reflected: ‘‘ Here’s where I hear something pleasant about myself. Here’s where she starts to tear pages out of my reputation.” “T was only seekin ter hev ye freed from lonesomeness, Cynthy,” Murrell explained. “He seems ter be a right upstandin’ man —an’ he knows ther same life you does.” “Tm not denying that, Wade,” she agreed thoughtfully, “but you knew when you brought me here that I came to hide.” The highlander’s eyes flashed - danger- ously. “Ye hain’t got no cause ter suspicion he’s a spy—hev ye?” She shook her head. “Tt’s not that,” she assured him. “ But he comes from outside—and when he leaves he goes back to the outside world. It’s natural that anybody finding me here would wonder why I came. I can’t be alone with him—and refuse to talk about myself. You can forbid your own people from asking questions, because that’s your mountain code. But not to answer. natural questions to outsiders, is pretty much the same as confessing something.” “ Clever,” reflected Carroll. “Il say that’s a damn clever line to take. So he knows she’s a refugee from justice!” “T’m right sorry, Cynthy,” came the contrite apology. “I meant well, though.” Wade paused, and then slowly, awkward- ly he went on: “T ‘lowed thet a gal like you mout hev need of companionship. I’d done seed what a fine, high-minded gal ye was. And I ‘lowed thet ef my benighted eyes could 255 discarn them qualities in ye, a man like him thet knowed ther world, thet could reecog- nize all them lavish gifts, he’d jest natch’- rally be bound ter appreciate ye, an’ mebby, by an’ by, hit mout lead on ter makin’ ye both right happy.” The girl laid a hand on the man’s arm. Her eyes were soft. “ T’m not looking for happiness from any man, Wade,” she said. “ If you mean hap- piness that comes from love-making, I’m done with that. I’m off it for life. I do find happiness in friendship, like the kind you give me—” She paused, then added slowly; “TI find it in a friendship like yours partly because you’re Wade Murrell, and partly because I know there’s no danger of its leading on to—” Again she paused, and then falling with entire naturalness into his own vernacular, she added. ‘“‘ Because there’s no danger of its leading on to sweet heartin’.” For an instant the mountain man looked as if he had taken a blow in the face, then he forced a smile and said with gallant mendacity: “ No, gal, thar hain’t no danger of thet. Looks like nuther one of us hain’t no master hand fer sweet heartin’.” Once more the girl laid a light hand on his arm. “Wade,” she declared, and her eyes were suddenly tear-misted, “ there’s one thing I want you to know. You must know it. When I came here I was just what I looked like. I was'a flip little smart Aleck. If I’m anything better than that now, it’s because being here has changed me, because you’ve changed me. And there’s another thing I want you to know, too. I want to go on being the changed person.” “Hell!” exclaimed Carroll to himself. “This eavesdropping is a disgusting busi- ness.” He drew back very quietly and went away. ““ There goes your specious excuse of pro- tecting Wade Murrell,” he told himself. “You can scrap that virtuous pose. She’s not trying to vamp him, after all, it seems. Now you must decide this question fair and and square on the basis of your own passion.” He walked along in deep thought and kicked savagely at the clods along the way. ed THE HILLS. )) } ae AVM atte | 4 Wish) v ¥ chy A ‘ We Teg : et v's" 7 ReAL. oy Rau ib’ Abs Ps, tt PANS SPA) hii . ’ ‘ “a 4 yy =F % Ls t ri ot ; , th t (e(0} ¥ wy aT me Wo "25 : / ; =} Ne, > v eat, Orit i‘ \ hal iibedd iy f NVC hey 2 ya Papert a Nt ul : at - : Gea wey belly 1