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For the first time in her life she knew the paralysis of unreasoning fear. Then the door opened and Pierre came in out of the crystal night. "What brought you back so soon?" asked Joan. "Too soon fer you, eh?" He strode over to the hearth where she had lain, took up the book, struck it with his hand as though it had been a hated face, and flung it into the fire.
Victor laughed a little harshly. "That's jest what." The two brothers nodded. This they had understood. "I'd have found all the plant fer big work," went on the trader eagerly. "I'd have found the cash to do everything. I'd have found the labour. An' us three 'ud have made a great syndicate. We'd 'a' run it dead secret.
"I think this climate agrees with 'im." "Oh, he's well enough," responded Mrs. Starkweather dejectedly, "if he didn't make 'imself so much extry work. Grubbin' out that vineyard, now! I can't fer the life o' me see" "Maw!" called Idy warningly, opening the battened door with a jerk "you maw! look out, now!" Mrs.
When all this had been accomplished the trapper removed his fur cap, scratched his grizzled head, and appealed to Neale and King. "I reckon you can fetch over some comfortable-like necessaries fixin's fer a girl," he suggested. Red King laughed in his cool, easy, droll way. "Shore, we'll rustle fer a lookin'-glass, an' hair-brush, an' such as girls hev to hev. Our camp is full of them things."
"There, that's better," was the captain's comment, when this had been completed. "Yez'd better hurry home now, fer it's gittin' rather late." As the boys were about to leave, a small tug came up the river, and swerved somewhat to the left. A man was standing in the wheel-house, watching those on shore.
"What I give him was for somebody else, an' was sure little enough. He's got the grudge against me." "Ahuh! Wal, then, don't you go huntin' fer trouble. Try an' make White Slides one place thet'll disprove your name. All the same, don't shy at sight of anythin' suspicious round the ranch." The old man plodded thoughtfully away, leaving the hunter likewise in a brown study.
"That you, Sam?" half whispered a man's voice. There was no light. "Sh!" hissed Bonner, muffling his voice. "Is everybody in?" "Bill's waitin' fer you outside. Ma an' me are here. Come on down. What's up?" "How's the girl?" "Bellerin' like a baby. Ma's with her in the cave. Hurry up! This thing's heavy."
You'll jest ast Minky fer all you need, an' I pay. An' you'll see things is fixed right for 'em." Sunny lurched reluctantly to his feet. He knew the gambler far too well to debate the point further. He had made his protest, which had been utterly ineffective, so there was nothing left him but to obey the fiercely uttered mandate.
Why, what's the use of goin' agin His will, an' it's all the same whether yer choppin' down a tree, or runnin' across the sea of Life fer the great Port beyon'. That's what the parson says, an' I guess he knows, though it seems to me that the poor man hisself has head-winds aplenty jist now." Stephen asked no more questions then, being too busy.
"I reckon," he announced abruptly when they stood on the crest of a steep hill, "I'll turn back hyar. I don't dwell over yore way an' thar hain't no use fer me ter fare further. I'll bid ye farewell an' mebby some day all us fellers'll meet up again." Alexander was surprised, and a sharp little pang of disappointment shot through her breast.
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