The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-04-17
XIII.
The Quest Of the Hermit.

CHAPTER XIII.
The Quest Of the Hermit.
".v DON'T know how to begin"
muttered the novelist, whose
puppets speeches had al
u ways been 81 apt. Last
night you sent me on a sort of quest
for the golden fleece. 1 didn't know
who had been fieeced or what the idea
was. But l Jared forth. as they say.
l got it for you
The eyes Of the girl giowed happily.
She was beaming.
'I'm so glad" she said. But why
why didn't you give it to me last
night? 1t would have meant SO much
IL you had"
THAT" replied Mr.. Magee. lis what
I'm coming to-very reluctantly. Did
you note any spirit of caution in the
fellow who set forth on your quest and
dropped owe the balcony rail7 You
did not. l waited on the porch and
saw Max tap the safe. l saw him and
Cargan come out. l waited for them.
Just as l was about to jump on them
somebody-the man with the seventh
key. l guess-did it for me. There was
a scufHe. ! Joined 1t. l emerged with
the package everybody seems SO in
terested in"
Yes" said the girl breathlessly.
"And them
II started to bring it to you" went
on Aagee.. glancing over his shoulder
At Max. II was all aglow with ro-
nance and battle and all that sort Of
thing. l pictured the thrill Of hand
ing you the thing you had asked. 1
ran upstairs. At the head Of the stairs
Il saw her."
The light died in her eyes. Re-
proach entered there.
Eyes" continued Magee. your knight
Grant lost his nerve. he ceased to
run on schedule. She. too. asked me
for that package Of money"
And you gave it to her." said the
girl scornfully.
"Oh. no. answered Magee quickly.
mot * had as that. simply sat
down on tho steps and thought. I got
cautious. / decided to wait until to
day. III did wait
He paused. The girl strobe on, look.
ing straight ahead.
Il know" he said, what you think.
I'm a 1ne specimen of a mar to send
on a hunt like that-a weakened
m~ollycoddle who passes into a state OF
coma at the crucial moment. But
I'm going to give you that package
yet"
The girl turned her head. MI. Ma
gee saw that her eyes were misty with
tears.
you're playing with me-" she said
brokenly. II might have known.
And | trusted you. You're in the game
with the others-and I thought you
weren't. l staked my whole chance Of
success on you. Now you're making
sport Of me. You never intended to
give me that money. You don't in
tend to now"
ION my word" cried Magee, Il do
intend to give 1t to you-the minute
we get back to the inn! l have it safe
in my ROOM"
"Give it to her." said the girl bitter
~. why don't you give it to herY'
oh. the p~erversity of women!
Its you l want to give it TO-" re-
piled Magee warmly. II don't know
what was the matter with me last
night. / was a fool. You don't be.
neve in me, | know Her face was
cold and expressionless.
And l wanted to believe in you
SO much" she said.
"Why did you want TOT" cried Ma
gee. "WhyY'
She plodded on through the snow.
"You must believe" he pleaded. Il
don't know what all this is about-on
my word of honor. But l want to give
you that money, and l will-the min.
ute we get back to the inn. Will you
believe then? Will your"
II hate you" said the girl simply.
She should not have said that Al
far back as he could remember such
opposition had stirred Mr.. Magee to
Wild deeds. He opened his mouth.
and words flowed forth. What were
the words?
Il love you! love you! Ever since
that moment In the station l have
loved you! love you"
Family he heard himself saying II
oyer and Over. BY the gods. he. was