Argosy, Vol. 85, No. 3 — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

FACING A CRISIS. ‘““ Have you recovered any of the things he stole?” she asked. ‘“‘ Not yet.” ‘““T hope you will.” “T hope.so. Good-by!”’ “Do you think you will get the things back,” persisted Gertie, before he could hang up. ‘“T think so.” He slapped the receiver on the hook, but it had not been there five seconds when the bell rang again. “ Deuce take it!” grumbled Harden. ‘What does she want now?” He took his time about removing the receiver, and the bell rang once more. “ Hello?” he snapped. “Tt was a man’s voice that responded this time with a sonorous “ That you, Brooke? Raymond Bates speaking.” “This is Harden Brooke. Been ex- pecting you up here? Where are you?” “At home. Find I can’t come up till the afternoon. Will be there, to look over my mother’s stuff about four o’clock. Will that suit your” ““ Very well.” Harden contrived to say this in a care- less, even cheerful, tone. It was putting off the evil moment for a little, but none the less he would have to face the music later, and it was with something approach- ing despair that he rang off, and went into the kitchen to speak to his sister. ‘“ Haven’t found him, Marion. But I have lines out, and I ought to round him up before night. I suppose you haven't heard anything?” “Nothing,” she answered, as she laid a sisterly hand affectionately upon his arm. ‘“ But you'll get him, I know. You always get what you go after. Why don’t you hunt through the woods? That’s where they found the other thief.” “T will. But I can’t spend too much time scouring the country. I have that thirty acres of hay to cut this week. It will be too ripe if I don’t get at it soon.” Marion nodded. She knew her brother would not allow even his anxiety over the robbery to stand in the way of his haying. ‘kitchen ? 446 ‘“Can’t you get somebody to cut the hay?” she asked. ‘“T intend to do that, if I can. This is a busy season, but I might get that ‘Morrison boy to help, if I can hire a man to run the mower. Morrison has three boys, and he might spare me Dick. I'll call him up this afternoon. But he won’t be much use to me unless I can find a man.” ° He went out to the living room. The next moment he had flung himself upon an individual who stood at the open door of the staircase. He was a heavy-set fellow of thirty- five or so, in the blue-jeans and shape- less soft hat of a farm laborer behind the times. His square, unshaven jaw was set in permanent truculence, emphasized by the glittering black eyes, under heavy brows. When Harden seized him by his mas- sive shoulders and swung him around, he glared as if wondering why he had been attacked. “Now, Garrett, what are you after? Speak quick, before I smash you!” Harden Brooke had had a great deal to disturb him, and his nerves were ajangle. He felt that it would do him good to thrash this discharged hired man of his, if there were the slightest excuse for it. He needed the exercise. “T ain’t doing anything, Harden,” growled Garrett. ‘I was looking for you.” “Did you think I was up-stairs? Didn’t you hear me talking in the I was speaking loud enough. That’s too thin. You were going to sneak up those stairs if I hadn’t come in. I’ve a mind to land one on your jaw anyhow.” The steel thews of the young farmer stiffened, and he shook the burly Garrett with his left hand, while his right fist drew back as if setting for a blow. ‘“‘ Hold on!” protested Garrett. ‘‘ There ain’t no call for you to get mad. I know you done right to fire me. I oughtn’t to have kicked that horse, and I wouldn’t comicloool C©