Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-12-23
Where was | going to get all that

wlldereo.
Where was I going to get all that
money!
why. Mccarthy was putin 1t up;
he and some other bucks. so as. to give
you a start after you was married.
She drew a deep breath, looking
straight into his eyes.
you mea those men came here for
that?" Indignantly. 'They we're will
ing to marry me so as to get that
money? Good God! l was to be sold!
Is that actually true? Nobody ever
limited such a shameful thing to me-"
well. ! reckon they didn't mean no
harm by that" he tried to explain.
"You don't just see it right. They fig.
ured that Old Calkins had died an
left you without a cent, sorter helpless
out here. an that the town owed you
a decent chance ter git married an
settle down. That's what the money
was given for"
But those f"li,' = III ''uew it. That
was what made ,ii-tu a. ,'e!"
II reckon maybe II was-mostly. at
least"
She twisted her hands together. a
hot, red flush coming into each cheek.
well, I'm glad to know that. Now
what was it those two men said. the
men you had the trouble with?"
We'll, you see, Cowan was drunk
an naturally all worked up. He's a
sort O. good-lookin' chap an thinks
he cuts quite a swale with women
But what did he say?"
well, he run into me up there on
the street just now, him and Red
Kelly, an said I was after you for
that money. l told him he was a liar
an then he sorter let loose a remark
I didn't take kindly"
"What remark?"
"He-he sorter insinuated that I'd
never marry you for any other rea-
son."
He did-why|
"Wel1," he blurtcd out desperately,
finding no possible way Of escape. 'he
sorter said you wasn't awful good
lookin' a then l pasted him. That's
ALL"
Her lips parted. her eyes opening
wide in astonished amusement.
THAT l wasn't good looking!" she
laughed. "And you actually. hit him
for that?"
Il sure did; the other pup laughed
an he got his dose about the same
time. didn't hurt Red Kelly none;
just shook a little sense into him,
but l reckon it'll be q week before
Cowan gets out much. Then | come
down here"
TO ask me to marry your
That's the idea. I told 'em I'd do
it. 'Tain't likely you'll feel now the
same way you did at first, but if you
do, then I'm in the game. l amt got
much; I told you all bout that, but
if you're a mind to rough it up on
the Cottonwood. I'm here to 60 shares
with you"
The girl gazed at him in silence, her
breath coming quickly, almost in sobs,
a strange, misty light in her eyes.
"You-actually want me to marry
YOU?
Sure; that's what 1 come back for"
"Are-are you after that twenty-five
hundred dollars?"
HI, MOI" emphatically. ri forgot
to tell you bout that. / won't take a
d-n cent of it. That's what 1 told
them hounds an I'll tell MCCARTHY the
same thing. l amt that kind to mar
ry no girl cause she's got coin. The
five hundred is yours, fair an square,
but there don't none O. that two thou
sand go into my jeans. That's got to
be part O the bargain"
But you don't know anything about
me-"
He grinned good-humoredly.
Il reckon there may be some things
you'll discover about me, fer the mat
ter O. that. Maybe it's bout as fair
n way as another"
eyes, l suppose it is. You really
mean what you have said?" Z
81 sure do"
when? How soon?'
Tomorrow morning. I aim to get