Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 1, 1922 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

HOPELESS HOMESTEAD. comment by going to see her immediately; because he did not wish her to think he was taking advantage of his official posi- tion to force his acquaintance on her; be- cause he feared that he might become too much interested in a woman who, after all, was a total stranger to him. As he disembarked from his motor boat at the foot of the rocky and unbeautiful hill that occupied the bulk of Alice Car- ter’s quarter section, he reflected that it was indeed a strange woman who would claim such a barren acreage for a home- stead. The place was totally unsuitable for ag- riculture. There was scarcely enough level soil for a garden, let alone a farm, and where it was not rock strewn it was tim- bered. The holder did not appear to be making any effort to improve the place either. As Kemp approached her shack he saw that it was a small, cheaply-built habitation, even for a temporary summer home. It was good enough to enable her to hold the place for a few months, but that was all. She could never secure a government title with such -a dwelling. The regulations called for a substantial house. Also they called for fencing, and crop- ping a considerable acreage, and thus far Mrs. Carter had done nothing in that line. If she were Penniless, as many homestead- ers were, that would not be strange, but she was not. The high-powered motor boat which she had bought, and which was now tied up to the bank, groved that. Moneyed homesteaders invariably built a good house and started in to improve their places right away. Since she did neither, it was obvi- ous that she did not intend to hold the place permanently; merely wished to oc- cupy it temporarily for some purpose which might, and might not, concern the law that Kemp represented. He hoped, as he approached her unpaint- ed and rough-lumbered shack, that she was not a lawbreaker. He would not enjoy dragging her to a lockup. Her physical appearance indicated that She was anything but that; yet her actions were suspicious. Kemp checked this train of thought as he knocked on the door. The woman was 827 nothing to him; she was a complete stranger. “Come in, Mr. Kemp; I’m glad to see you,” she said. She did not welcome him in the manner of a stranger, or as she might be expected to welcome an officer of the law either. Rather, she seemed to re- gard him as a friend. Kemp was not displeased that such was the case. Despite his resolution not to be- come too much interested in this unknown woman, he experienced a thrill as he looked at her again. He felt pity for her, teo. She did not now appear to be a strong-minded female, able and ready to cope with any situation. The iron was gone from her ex- pression. A strange wistfulness had re- placed it, a hint of combined sadness and fear. She appeared less like a competent woman of large affairs, now, and more like an appealing little girl who has been fright- ened by the imaginary terrors that prowl in darkness. ““T hope you haven’t been lonesome, liv- ing all alone in this desolate spot,” he re- marked. ‘““N-no,” she replied bravely, with a glance toward her pistol which hung in a holster on the wall. “I’m all right. I suppose a change from city life to this is always a bit of a trial at first.” “A trial? I’m sorry to hear you speak in that tone. I thought you came here to enjoy yourself.” ““ Do people usually file on homesteads in order to enjoy themselyes?”’ she countered. ‘But you are not a homesteader—not a genuine one, I mean.’”’ Kemp went on to explain some of his reasons for entertaining this belief. She did not contradict them, merely re- marked, ‘‘ You are very keen sighted, Mr. Kemp,” and changed the subject. They talked then about music and the drama and books—all the things that cul- tured people who live on the borders of civilization long for. And as they discussed these things Kemp found that he possessed more interests in common with this charm- ing stranger than he had anticipated. Tru- ly, she was one woman in a hundred. When he rose to take his departure she invited him to drop in again any time he wished. DOOK C©