Prev | Current Page 115 | Next

Buck, Charles Neville, 1879-1930

"A Pagan of the Hills"

"
"My paw," declared the girl indignantly, "he's got full trust in Mr.
Brent an' so hev I." She dismissed him with a glance under which his
own bravado wilted and he made no further effort to walk at her side.
But in the gathering dusk, the wet desolation about her seemed to creep
into Alexander's heart. With so many charges of foul play floating
about, of whom could she feel certain? Then the answer came. There
was, perhaps, only one. So long as he remained sober, Bud Sellers
would remain dependable. From the bank overlooking the boom she called
his name and when he had leaped to respond, she led him out of hearing.
"Bud," she said tensely. "Ye knows how heavy-hearted with dread I be
about my paw. Ye knows thet when I left him I wasn't no ways sure I'd
ever lay eyes on his livin' face ergin. I ain't sure now." Her voice
threatened to break and to control it she pitched it into a harder
tone. "Ye knows, too, who's fault thet air."
He answered very low and very miserably. "Yes, I knows full well--an'
I've done been in torment--ever since.


Pages:
103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127