Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1933-02-02
CHAPTER II-Continued

Gorbel struggled. but the lock on his
wrist was secure. He bent forward
for relief as John opened the door.
The cold night surged In on them. and
Their the one was running down the
steps to regain the balance that the
others shove had imperiled.
AT the bottom he whirled and lifted
his face, normally handsome, now
wrenched with rage.
You swine y he cried. you'll pay
for thist'
collect, them But you stay away
from here until you're sent forl Get
that?"
He closed the door and turned back
to the office, removing his cap as he
went.
Brighter lights burned now, for a
cluster in the ceiling had been switched
on. The girl sal at a Uttered desk in
the middle of the room, pale. shoulders
hunchesi. head bowed. He stopped,
poised in surprise. She was the girl
he had seen in the station waiting
room, and with her coat and hat re-
moved. in the jersey dress which ex-
posed a graceful column of throat, she
was as out Of place in this office with
its battered desks and dingy walls as a
flower III a wood yard!
John spoke
"He called me an eavesdropper. I
guess. In It way, he-was right
Fortunately, you heard she muir
INJURED. and then looked up. "Oh!
oh, | didn't know It was your She
brushed at her soft, short hair nervous
~ and managed a sort of smile. Il.
! wanted to tell yeH how how
sorry | am that the boys did what
they did. Won't you come in?'
She rose, and he could see that she
was rallying her composure rapidly.
Il feel like an intruder he said, adj
vancing. 4 came over here on the
chance that | might find the manager
n ran into the late unp~leasantness r.
II am the manager she said simply.
Ain " Sdi II iDG idl Hi Ml1UllJ ,
SO completely that he blinked and
laughed outright.
what! You. Why, a girl In
this mess?"
She flushed deeply.
guess that's what 1t is a mess.
Even strangers knowl | am Ellen
Richards. This was my fathers com
pany. I've been trying to carry on for
over a year now, since he ". since
he died.
"Oh," he said duly. "Oh pa bit
longdrawn. this time. and in a sort of
relief rather than amazement or stupe-
faction. Relief, because 1t was a girl
on whom his father made war!
1t simplified matters for a chap In
an embarrassing position. A man,
even in a pinch. might want to fight
through to the finish On his own re-
sources. A girl like this-the sort Of
girl you took to tea and the theater
and to supper clubs; a nice girl who
looked as though she read books and
IiuSEu Ebbi lily N1ulu AOifltFiGlG TIE
picture Of a smart roadster-would be
needing help. Lots of help Immedi-
atelyi 1t was her tough luck that she
had incurred the attention Of an old
tyrant such as his father was turning
out to be; his good luck that she was
In trouble. filled with animus as he
ri for old Tom, and aching as he
vas to show what he could do.
We'll !" he said as he took the chair
she Indicated, and in the third ejacu-
lation was a deal of satisfaction. as
of hi suddenly rounding a dubious
corner into IN unexpected bonanza
1T was terrible the way the boys
met you" she said. There's an ex-
use for If, of course. 1t can be ex-
planned by the fact that they're SO
worked up over what has been going
on and SO loyal to my fathers memory
that they do these things regardless of
my wishes. I'm I'm so sorry /
feel responsible for it. and for their
hurting you"
tie l0ucneu MS cut up.
Don't mind me. As | understand
the situation you seem to have troubles
enough without worrying about a
scratch on a stranger r
Her eyes dropped. And 1t was w
fully generous of you to to do
what you did just now'-voice tremb-
ling ever so little. First we hear that
Tom Belknap's bully is coming here to
harm more OF my men and we beat
you up In our excitement. Next, you
walk in here to find Tom Belknap's
partner demanding surrender and save
me embarrassment. There are
some matters a girl can't handle . .
alone
John stirred uneasily. To tell a girl
who could speak of a man with such