Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

442 by myself and look pleasant and good and sweet and kind and everything! I want to have a good time. I want to play and be amused. I’m not a nun! -Heavens!” She smiled. “Tt certainly earnestly. ‘* And you don’t blame me for talking to —to a strange man?” “The strange man was mighty lonely himself,’’ said Donn Riley. “You were? Honestly?” ** Honestly, Miss Anderson!” She hugged her arms delightedly. “ Isn’t that nice! Now, if you can convince the oid man—”’ ‘“* The old man and I are not on speaking terms at present,” he told her. ‘You know I’m not supposed to be hav- ing anything to do with you—any one. Im supposed to be tucked in bed—fast asleep. Oh, dear, what an existence! ” He was sympathetic. ‘“ Of course, stolen sweets—” “Isn't it fun?” she cried. ‘ Now, on the trip north, there was another girl. Oh, but she was heavenly! She’s my ideal. She’s a perfect princess! You should have met her, Mr. Riley. You’d have fallen head over heels in love with her! She—she was just everything that a girl ought to be!” — Unless Donn Riley was mistaken, he had already perfermed that ‘acrobatic feat of falling head over heels in love with the _tenant of Miss Anderson’s shrine. “ Sounds almost too good to be true,” he isn’t fair,” he agreed murmured. ‘“ Who did you say she was?” “The old man’s daughter. Have you met her?” ‘“T saw her,” he confessed. Much of the sunlight died out of Miss Anderson’s blue eyes. Perhaps her ideal’s standing underwent a slight depreciation in this new light. She remarked: than I am!” “What was that?” “ Well, she’s twenty-two; she told me so herself!” Donn Riley chuckled. cient!” Miss Anderson elevated her round httle chin. “I think my twenty-first beau is “Ellen is vears older ‘“Isn’t she an- ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. showing a great deal of interest in other girls,” she said coolly. “Can't he even look at other girls?” ‘“ I have a very jealous disposition.” _ ‘Then I promise to be very careful in the future. When we’re apart I shall de- vote every instant to thinking of you. It would be so easy to do that, too, Miss An- derson.”’ “You can be awfully nice when you want to,” she murmured sweetly. “ Mercy! Why haven’t I met you before?” ‘“‘ And fate is usually so kind to lovers!” added Donn Riley in the same tones. “I do wish you would take me seriously, Mr. Riley.” “{ thought you wanted to be amused,” was his injured reply. She doubled up her fist and looked at it thoughtfully, then patted her other palm with it. Her eyes were very alturing when they returned to his. ‘“ Somehow I don’t feel so much like be- ing amused now. I feel very sertous—and —it’s curious, isn’t it, Mr. Riley?” Mr. Riley conceded that it was, indeed, very curious. “T wonder what-it would seem like up forward if the evening was nice and there was a moon.”’ ‘It would probably be too wonderful for words,” he assured her. ‘‘ Moon or no moon. ” . ‘Then Il meet you up there as soon as you’re through with your work.” ‘But, Miss Anderson—” ‘ Don't be horrified,” she said calmly. ‘I’m so lonely I can’t be held responsible for the things I say. I just don’t care what I say. You're nice, and—I’m no in- fant, Mr. Riley!” CHAPTER XII. A TALK WITH THE CHIEF. HE watched her out of sight, then walked to the doorway of the neglected wire- less-room. With his hands over his head against the jambs, he surveyed the appa- . ratus, and his smile slowly died. It was in wretched shape, meaning hours of hard work. ‘ NOO (C(O) S (C(O) mM