Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

thought. 148 eying the floor. Finally he straightened up slowly. ‘All right,” he sighed. it, that’s different. It’s all right. kick coming. I’m through.” Dan went out, and on his way home stopped at the telegraph office, where he canceled an important engagement in New York that he had made the previous week, then he rode disconsolately home. Never had the old ranch house seemed so dear to him as it did now. And Sally was going to live there some day with another man. Well, that’s what she wanted. There was no one in sight around the place when he rode up. He turned Pinto into the corral, and entered the silent house. He threw himself on the lounge in a little den at the end of the main hall, which was his favorite loafing place when he wanted to indulge in any dreaming. Some time later he heard voices in the hall. ‘“ But, Kendall, we mustn’t come in like this when there’s nobody home! What would they think of us if they found us prowling around?” It was the voice of Sally Mosier. “TH tell you why it’s all right, sweet- heart,’ Dan heard her fiancé assure her. “ [ve a little surprise for you. I wanted to - keep it secret longer, but we’ve got to be- gin to arrange the furnishing. This house is going to be yours. Here’s where you are going to live. I heard you admired it so much that dad’s getting it for us.” Dan heard a little gasp from Sally. “Why, Kendall, what do you mean? Dan King selling it?” “ Uh—yes. Dad takes it over and gives us the deed. Isn’t that fine?” But-Sally did not answer. “Why, darling, what’s the matter? Don’t you love the old place after all?” “ Yes—oh, yes—but—but—oh, Kendall, I’m sorry to seem ungrateful, but I can’t ever live here. I just can’t.” Suddenly she burst into hysterical weep- ing. _ Dan King slipped quietly out the back way unobserved. He strolled slowly down toward the corral, head bent in deep “Tf Sally wants T got no Is fn = ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, ‘IT wonder. - 1 wonder,” he kept saying to himself. ‘‘ Would it have been different if I hadn’t been afraid to speak? Well, anyhow, if Sally doesn’t want the old house after all, she doesn’t have to have it.” He waited behind the bunk house till he heard the young couple drive away, then he called Pinto from the corral, and a few minutes later was racing back to King City. At the telegraph office he wired New York again: 3 Disregard previous telegram. Will be there as agreed. Dan King did not return to the ranch for some weeks. All the gossips around King City knew was that the had gone to New York, but what he was doing there was only vaguely surmised. Meantime, the arrangements for the wed- ding of Kendall Thomas and Sally Mosier proceeded, although nothing more was said for the time being about the furnishing of the King ranch house, C. K. Thomas, Sr., returned to King City after a trip East in time to attend to the King foreclosure and be present at the wedding of the son which was to take place soon afterward. On the morning of the day when the time limit for the payment of the mortgage on the ranch expired, Dan King was still ab- sent. The two Thomases arrived and gathered with Mosier in his private office. Wallace Horton, the bank’s attorney, was present with the necessary legal documents, “T’ve heard nothing from Mr. King,” said Mosier, ‘‘ though he has acknowledged the due and proper legal notices sent by registered letter. I take it for granted that he has not been able to raise any money to meet this mortgage or these notes. I did not expect he would. We might just as well go ahead with the proceedings.” A new deed and other papers ‘were pre- sented for inspection and approval, and were all ready for the final signatures at five minutes to the fatal hour when Dan King would cease to be the owner of the King ranch. And at that moment Dan King walked in. His manner was cool. In a leisurely way he drew a certified check from his pocket. ere you are, Mr. Thomas. I think _ _ :. % - ae emt on ae ” ‘ - “4 . + perme hr Seo = ee ——s = rs = eS Sane ~~ ae = a A aS eg on te a rg eee See ep a a ee ee ee eee “comicbooks:com A tA » %? 5 , a3 NS, bay OG Te hens 5 » »& meer} 4 Yael IN om) a =e —- — a 9 See ee RS en et te ee en Bw