The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-03-08

swell. my names Ben Elliott, If
that means anything to you. And
was looking for somebody who has no
business to be here. Who are you and
what brings you into this timber?"
He was bound, now, to break through
her aloofness.
"That," she replied, however, sis
largely my own affair. But. Mr.. FL
lott, if you should guess that l was
simply trying to lose a certain I'M
pleasant mood in the woods where
once was quite happy, you wouldn't be
far from right"
She spoke inc.sively and unhesitat-
ingly but it seemed to him thar behind
this brusquesness was something quite
different; something he could not
fathom. He was about to remind her
that she had not yet revealed her
identity when she went on:
Looking for someone who has no
business here, you said. Just who are
they, what are they doing?"
"As to the first, can't tell you.
For the second, their purpose probably
would be to attempt to hold up a tim
Der operation in which Tn rather In
terested not so far from here"
Her eyes were on him with curious
expression, which might possibly have
been personal interest.
ITO hold you up? How%
"Are you from Tincup?"
IT am"
you know people there? And what
seems to be the towns most famous
tradition?"
II don't understand"
isn't 1t that Nicholas Brandon
finishes what he starts out to do? That
whatever he says goes, come what
may?"
Her eyes dropped.
'T've heard that said. People like
to talk"
fright! But I'm managing an out
fit that's encouraging rough going
from some source. All sorts of things
are happening and I'm trying to head
off certain Of Them"
81 see."
She looked away and puckered her
delectable lips as though to whistle
Ben rubbed his chin again. She was
not even interested in learning more
about him, but where many young men
would have been piqued at that he only
laughed softly.
whats the joker" she asked, almost
defiantly.
II was just thinking that it's a
funny situation when a man gets into
a scrap and 1t looks so big to him that
he thinks the whole darned country
must be watching it and him; and then
along comes a nice girl who's been in
a position to hear all about it and who
isn't interested a dimes worth"
She looked up at him slowly.
"You mean that you want to talk
about it?"
perfectly natural that should. I'm
in one whale of fight and having the
time of my life. It's the first job I've
found in coon's age that was hard
enough and complicated enough to be
worth working over"
"That's what I've heard about you"
you've Oh, so you have heard
about mel"
"Of course, live in Lineup. Few
have any secrets in a town of Tin
cups size"
Ben chuckled again.
"Well, then, if you've heard that
much about me and my job, maybe
there isn't anything l could tell you
that would be interesting"
maybe not" she said with an air
of dismissal.
Ben watched her closely as she SLOW
ly broke twig to bits with her slim
fingers.
deer used to yard in the swamp
back of here" she said. "When was
little girl l used to come out and
try to make friends with them. Thar's
why came out today 5. wonder
ing if they'd started to yard yet"
Its too early for them to yard"
Eyes, but the snow may get deep
enough any day to. bunch them"
"Snow' he said and shrugged. ST
it gets deep in hurry the deer will
yard all right and, maybe, I'll be licked
and little girl done out of all she has
in the world"
"All she has in the world? Meaning
just what?"
"If you live in Lineup and know the
town you must know about the owner
of this property. This is the Hoot
Owl timber"
A queer smile twitched at the girls
lips.
Sometimes think do; as often,
/ wonder what she's like really
like. Ihappen to be Dawn McManus."
Ben Elliott opened his mouth as If
to speak. Then closed 1t again and
made q foollshly helpless movement
with one hand. He stared at her and
began to stammer.