FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43  
44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   >>   >|  
, Red? What's the matter?" "Nothin'. Jest thinkin'." Yet the tramp's eyes narrowed as he glanced furtively past the girl to where Boyar, the black pony, grazed in the meadow. Louise, puzzled by something familiar in the boy's upturned, questioning face, raised one gauntleted hand to her lips. "Why, you're the boy I saw, out on the desert, two years ago. Weren't you lying by a water-tank when our train stopped and a man was kneeling beside you pouring water on your face? Aren't you that boy?" "Yes!" exclaimed Collie, getting to his feet. "Red told me about _you_, too." "Yes, it's her," muttered Overland, nodding to himself. "And you chucked a rose out of the window to us?" said the boy. "Overland said _she_ did." "Yes. It's her, the Rose-Lady Girl," said Overland. "Some of the folks in the train laughed when I picked up the rose. I remember. Some one else says, 'They're only tramps.' I recollect that, too." "But those men were arrested at Barstow, for murder, Uncle Walter said." Again Overland Red nodded. "They was, Miss. But they couldn't prove nothin', so they let us go." "We always was goin' to say thanks to the girl with the rose if we ever seen her," said the boy Collie. "We ain't had such a lot of roses give to us." "So we says it now," said Overland quickly. "Or mebby we wouldn't never have another chance." Then he slowly rolled another cigarette. Just then the black pony Boyar nickered. He recognized a friend entering the meadow. Overland lighted his cigarette. As he straightened up, Louise was surprised to see him thrust both hands above his head while he continued smoking placidly. "Excuse me, Miss," he said, turning the cigarette round with his lips; "but the gent behind you with the gun has got the drop on me. I guess he's waitin' for you to step out of range." Louise turned swiftly. Dick Tenlow, deputy sheriff, nodded good-morning to her, but kept his gun trained on the tramp. "Just step out from behind that rock," said Tenlow, addressing Overland. "Don't know as I will," replied the tramp. "You're no gentleman; you didn't say 'please.'" "Come on! No bluff like that goes here," said the deputy. "Can't you see I ain't finished smokin' yet?" queried Overland. "Come on! Step along!" "No way to address a gent, you Johnny. Say, I'll tell you _now_ before you fall down and shoot yourself. Do you think you got me because you rode up while I was talkin' to a lady, and butt
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43  
44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Overland

 
Louise
 

cigarette

 
Collie
 

deputy

 

Tenlow

 
nodded
 

meadow

 

glanced

 

narrowed


turning

 
Nothin
 

thinkin

 

swiftly

 

waitin

 

turned

 

continued

 
lighted
 

straightened

 

surprised


entering

 

friend

 

nickered

 

recognized

 

furtively

 
sheriff
 
smoking
 

placidly

 
thrust
 

Excuse


trained
 

Johnny

 

address

 

queried

 
talkin
 

smokin

 

finished

 

replied

 
addressing
 

morning


gentleman

 
matter
 

window

 

chucked

 

raised

 
tramps
 

remember

 
picked
 

gauntleted

 

laughed