FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   >>   >|  
again. Then Garth picked up his gun and strode toward Mabyn. The man waited for him with an air oddly mixed of fear and bravado. As Garth came close he smiled in a way that he intended to be ingratiating--but Mabyn's smile only rendered him more hideous. Garth's first look made sure that both his hands were empty. "Is there anything I can do?" Mabyn asked with apparent solicitude. "Yes, keep away from here," returned Garth curtly. "If I catch you within a hundred yards of my camp, I'll wing you so you won't move again as long as we're here." Mabyn assumed an aggrieved expression. "You needn't take that tone," he grumbled. "I came in friendliness. I want to have a talk with you." "I'm listening," said Garth. Mabyn twisted uneasily. "Damn it! How can a man make friendly advances when you're standing over him with a gun!" he said. "Say what you've got to say, or clear out," said Garth. The aggrieved air proving ineffectual, Mabyn substituted offended silence; offered to go; and came back. "Well, look here!" he said at last. "This is it. Here are the three of us up here----" "Four," amended Garth. "Well, four if you like," said Mabyn. "We're stuck here together. We can't afford to quarrel. We've got to have some working agreement." "Is that all?" said Garth uncompromisingly. Mabyn looked around with the air of a much-tried man, appealing to the bystanders--that they were only indifferent trees, rather spoiled the effect. "I wouldn't take this from any man if it wasn't that I was bent on avoiding trouble," he blustered. Garth suppressed the scornful inclination to laugh. "Look here," began Mabyn afresh, with a reasonable air. "I came to offer you the shack for Natalie. She can't sleep in the open in her condition." "Much obliged," said Garth coolly. "I intended to take it in the first place. But Miss Bland refused to allow herself to be carried there." Mabyn's eyes bolted. His control over his facial muscles was imperfect; and the struggle between the open character he desired to convey, and the secret feelings that tortured him, was plain. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "Build her a house," said Garth. Mabyn, turning his back, appeared to be considering. "Is that all you have to say?" asked Garth. The other turned a face of obstinate friendliness and good will. "Look here--" he began all over. "I don't know your name----" Garth informed him. "Well, Pevensey, I'm sorry
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
friendliness
 

aggrieved

 

intended

 

uncompromisingly

 

looked

 
afresh
 
agreement
 

inclination

 
working
 

reasonable


indifferent

 

effect

 
spoiled
 

wouldn

 
blustered
 

suppressed

 
trouble
 
avoiding
 

bystanders

 

appealing


scornful

 

turning

 

appeared

 

secret

 

feelings

 

tortured

 

turned

 

informed

 

Pevensey

 

obstinate


convey

 
desired
 

refused

 

coolly

 

obliged

 
condition
 

imperfect

 
muscles
 

struggle

 
character

facial
 

control

 
carried
 
quarrel
 

bolted

 

Natalie

 
returned
 

curtly

 
apparent
 

solicitude