Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-19

Lees. II you do that you can do what
you like with me-"
"Oh. can /? Then I'll stick you back
into The House Of Guidance. Now,
what do you think Of that?"
Roxie seemed to wilt. "An right
she said. That goes"
There wa q moment Of silence, then
Ransom asked CURLY. What are you
crying for?"
"I'm-I'm not"
you are. though. Is it as bad as
that?"
mo. It's all right. When do we
start"
Hold on a moment. I warned you
there were no strings to my offer . &.
fast to myself, / mean"
We'll what of it?" Roxle raised her
head and gave him a puzzled look.
You gave me carte blanche j.
If I'd hand back this blooming mort
gage and tell them to fix it to suit
themselves. What If instead Of taking
you to The House OF Guidance / = decide
to take you back home with me?"
ROxie stared at him, flxedly. I'D
rather go back to The House Of Guild
ance."
That's got nothing to do with it
+. . t.. what you'd rather do, I mean.
The point is you've said that if I cam
eel the mortgage I car do what l like
with YOU"
Roxie was silent. She did not dare
trust herself to speak.
Ransom rose. He stepped beside
Roxie's chair and laid his hand on
her thick hair. A fine tremor ran
through the girl. but she did not move
nor offer to brush his hand away.
1--WE decided to take you home with
me-" Ransom said. This time it's
taken me a little longer than usual
to know just what l want. Go pack
your things, and We'll start as soon as
the a. gets here-Which should be"
he glanced at his watch-"in about
ten minutes"
Roxie rose slowly to her feet. 1t did
not occur to her to doubt his word
about the bargain.
But, even more, there was q COM
peuing mastery about him. For the
first time in her life Roxie had en-
countered a man whom she must obey.
She had discovered instantly and to
her amazement hat when he laid his
hand lightly on her thick, soft hair,
the contact, while a shock, was yet
not unpleasant. 1t had seemed to gal
vanize her tinglingly, but pleasantly.
The habitual hot resentment to male
contact did not occur, and she Won
dered why.
She stood trembling a little while he
stroked her hair lightly, then raised
her chin with his other hand and
looked intently into her eyes.
There, now" he said in a voice so
deep and gentle that Roxie vihrated
to it more than she had been numbed
by the stern tone of the moment before.
II should have known there was no
need to test your mettle, lass. But l
have never met a girl like you before.
l could not believe there was your
like. There is no fear in you at all,
and you are honest as the day is long.
You don't need any House of Guidance,
nor are you going there. The Lees
a have their old barracks, and all
the land with it. And if you go with
free will and accord"
Roxie stared at him unbelievingly.
do you mean that you would hand
over the mortgage to them - for
nothing?"
The hard face broke into smiles, eyes
alight and twinkling. why, yes, and
if / must. 1t is worth 1t just to know
there is in this selfish world a girl
like you. That thoroughbred that
starts to finish you we're talkin' of is
yourself. though you may not know it."
Still and all, I should like it better
if I we're to give them back their
property for something and that quite
q LOT. I have been wrong in think
Ing l was no. a marrying man, just
as you have been wrong in thinking
that there was no man living you
could bear to have touch YOU" His
two hands fell on her soft. strong
shoulders and drew her toward him.
SIS that not SOP"
The galvanic current that played
through Roxie made it nard for her
to speak. She managed to say breath
lessly, "You don't mean that you want
to marry q girl like mer"
mo. / want to marry only you, and
that quick. This very night. 1t is still
young. 1 think l hear the a comm,
SO II you will go and pack a bag with
some of the gear you have reQuisi-
toned from the SlOp chest IN the attic
we will drive to Judge Cases house and
ask him will he kindly marry us, and
make q proper shipshape Job Of It,"
"But-but 1t was Judge Case who
sent me to The House Of Guidance"
Roxie cried wildly, and now I've run
away"
you bolted In the right direction,
darlin'-and I do not think his honor
will make objection or want to send
you back when I tell him you insist
on maxim a wedding present Of the
mortgage to Mrs. Lee, whose ward you
are. He Is an old family friend. We
can pass by the farm first, and get
the papers"
She felt vaguely a sudden trans
formation In the man, from hard, law
less adventurer to jolly boyish larrikin.
1t seemed to her that this vas what
he had been before the sea had hard
ened and freebooting edged and tenn
pered him.
Ransom said lightly, THAT Is better.
You can tell the judge that The House
of Guidance did you so much good
that now you want to take the burden
of 1t of the shoulders Of the gentle
lady who befriended you. He is not
apt to deny you the privilege and as
for me, I feel that besides finding the