Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 6, 1923 — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

806" 2 ewin you come in? I will take care of the lamb. I am Necia Dorr.” It was Joseph’s turn to fall back. His | "eyes widened as he gazed at her—so mili- === Aant—so unafraid. But his was not a feel- ing of fear. It was more a sense of rev- erential awe which swept over him and - robbed him of the power to take his eyes away from her. So a humble peasant eugat have stood before Jeanne d’Arc. - Thad and Angel caught the look in the 39 S eyes, and they glanced at each other _furtively. As they stared at him, they saw Joseph’s eyes cloud. - . “Necia Dorr?” he muttered to himself. 2 -Dorr—! - Circle-Z! beautiful girl, with her tumbled blond hair, was Kit Dorr’s daughter? Why it ‘should matter so much he did not know, but his throat went dry at the thought and, Kit Dorr—Necia Dorr—the = an his senses fogged, he heard Necia See ‘Tf you will carry the lamb into the Kitchen, 1 will dress its leg.” Thad and Angel got up and watched him as he followed Necia out of the room. A —_ €urse escaped Thad’s lips.as he sank back __ into his chair. Angel still stood staring at = the door through which Joseph had disap- -Thad’s. a oe stood by silently as Necia cut ~~ peared. He muttered something to him- ~ self and, going to the table, he bent over __ and whispered in Thad’s ear: “Do you know who he is?” Angel’s voice was as cold as death and it aa the look in his eyes made Thad pop erect as if he were a jack-in-the-box. “Who?” he demanded. _ Angel straightened up, his eyes holding iu That, ” he said at last, nodding toward ae kitchen, “is Joe Gault’s boy.” = CHAPTER XIII. “VENGEANCE IS MINE.” away the wool from the lamb’s torn leg; and save for holding the lamb while she washed the wound with a disinfectant, he found nothing he could do to help her. = — a few minutes she had the aS leg ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, Could he doubt but what this ‘N bandaged. Joseph’s desire for speech had never been greater, but a strange reticence gripped him, and now as Necia looked up at him, he could only ask her to allow him- to put the lamb in Angel’s rig which stood hitched outside. “I think you have done enough already,” Necia declared. “It was a fine thing to do. No wonder wild animals follow you around. I think I know why. But—have ; you had anything to eat?” Joseph nodded and answered briefly: “Before I left the mountain.” “It is a long way for one afoot. If you are going up the mountain yet to-night, I will loan you a horse.” ‘“No—lI will walk,” Joseph replied un- easily, at a loss for words with which to express his. gratitude for her thoughtful- ness. “It is late—I will put the lamb in the rig—it is little enough to do—and go.” He was ill at ease, and he wondered if she suspected as much. He had no desire to end this moment with her, but he realized he had done no less, for Necia raised her eyebrows inquiringly and, picking up the lamb, handed it to him. “It zs getting late,” she said softly. There was nothing further to keep Joseph now, and he started to turn away, his £73. solemn. He paused as Necia said: Be i you—should ever come to the Circle- Z again, grandfather will treat you dif- ferently. He—is not heartless.” A rogu- ish twinkle came into her eyes as she hesi- tated momentarily. ‘“ I—I hope you will not find it too far to come again,” she finished. ‘The fragrance of her hair swept into Joseph’s nostrils as she opened the door for — him. It was clean, invigorating, not unlike the perfume of young balsams in early spring. It shook him, and harking back to the speech of his boyhood, he said simply: - “fT reckon I could find my way.” His sincerity and his use of the homely expression made Necia smile tenderly. “Vou reckon you could, eh?” she trilled. Both were young and keenly alive, and they laughed softly together, = = vou are—a. Ss ee Necia said Ol — com b)