Part 29 (2/2)

Gordon looked distressed. ”That's too bad. There's a telephone in my room, too. Why didn't you call up? I've been there all night.”

”The deuce you have,” exploded Jones. ”And us combing the hills for you.

Young man, you're mighty smart. But I want to tell you that you'll pay for this.”

”Did you want me for anything in particular--or just to get up a poker game?” asked Elliot suavely.

The leader of the posse gave himself to a job of scientific profanity.

He was spurred on to outdo himself because he had heard a t.i.tter or two behind him. When he had finished, he formed a procession. He, with Elliot hand-cuffed beside him, was at the head of it. It marched to the jail.

CHAPTER XIX

SHEBA DOES NOT THINK SO

The fingers of Sheba were busy with the embroidery upon which she worked, but her thoughts were full of the man who lay asleep on the lounge. His strong body lay at ease, relaxed.

Already health was flowing back into his veins. Beneath the tan of the lean, muscular cheeks a warmer color was beginning to creep. Soon he would be about again, vigorous and forceful, striding over obstacles to the goal he had set himself.

Just now she was the chief goal of his desire. Sheba did not deceive herself into thinking that he had for a moment accepted her dismissal of him.

He still meant to marry her, and he had told her so in characteristic way the day after their break.

Sheba had sent him a check for the amount he had paid her and had refused to see him or anybody else.

Shamed and humiliated, she had kept to her room. The check had come back to her by mail.

Across the face of it he had written in his strong handwriting:--

I don't welsh on my bets. You can't give to me what is not mine.

Do not think for an instant that I shall not marry you.

Watching him now, she wondered what manner of man he was. There had been a day or two when she had thought she understood him. Then she had learned, from the story of Met.e.e.t.se, how far his world of thought was from hers. That which to her had put a gulf between them was to him only an incident.

She moved to adjust a window blind and when she returned found that his steady eyes were fixed upon her.

”You're getting better fast,” she said.

”Yes.”

The girl had a favor to ask of him and lest her courage fail she plunged into it.

”Mr. Macdonald, if you say the word Mr. Elliot will be released on bail.

I am thinking you will be so good as to say it.”

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