Part 33 (1/2)
She was roused from her visions of the new and radiant world which had been opened unto her by a knock at her door.
”Yes,” she answered vaguely.
”There's a man downstairs to see you,” said the proprietor.
She was at once alert and on the defensive, thinking of an encounter with Hebler.
”Do you know who he is?” she asked apprehensively.
”He said to tell you 'twas Jo.”
Joyfully she hastened down to the deserted office of the little inn.
”Jo, I am so glad it's you!”
”So am I. Come outside and take a walk with me.”
”How did you ever track me up here, Jo?” she asked as they walked up a hillside.
”Not hard to track the first skycraft that ever came up to these parts. I saw one land near Westcott's, and I had a hunch it was lighting for you.
Then I thought no more about it until things happened that made it up to me to find you. I inquired around and about and found a big balloon had come this way, so I figured this was about your goal for a train.”
”Why was it up to you to find me, Jo?”
”Well, Miss Penny Ante, I am a little interested in you, seeing as it was you who brought Marta to me. And I knew you would be interested in knowing Marta didn't take the ring.”
”Oh, Jo! I tried to think it wasn't Marta, but--”
”She says she acted just as though she had taken it. It was old Merlin, nosing around the hall, who tucked it away. But the real reason I had to run you down was for my pal. He wants you.”
”Why?” she asked. ”To apologize? You didn't tell him, Jo--”
”I told him nothing.”
”Then he must want me as an ex-sheriff.”
”Cut that out, Miss Penny Ante. He wants to find you because he loves you.”
”What makes you think so, Jo?”
”He 'fessed up when he found you had gone.”
”He didn't love me--not as you love Marta,” she reminded him. ”It made no difference with you that Marta--”
He made a quick gesture of protest.
”You forget,” he said soberly, ”that when I met Marta and fell in love with her, I didn't know about--her. Bender had told him about you before he met you, and then he thought you belonged to me.”
”Jo, if you had known Marta stole before you met her, wouldn't you have loved her and asked her to marry you?”