Picture-Play Weekly (Apr-Oct 1915)

PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY 15 buy 'for half what you paid Tett ; and it would be a lirst-ciass investment. However, while jou're getting straightened around on your place I want you to come over here to ours for a square meal, or anything else you want, as often as you like.' Lord Algy promised, with enthusiasm, to do so. And he lived up to his word. In this vrzy his love attair with Sally — for so it had become — ^was given opportunityto progress in the week that ensued. It was one day at the end of that time when Todd drove up to the Dunn ranch with his assistant Sprout, in his buckboard. "What's the matter, Jeff:"' asked Sally's father of the lanky real-estate dealer. "You're looking kind of glum this afternoon.'" "I feel that way.'" repiieu Todd, "and so would you. if you were in my boots. I had a chance, last week, to buy [Miller's place. I turned it down. And now what's happened ? Oh. nothing, but that thej ve struck oil on his property-. Its worth about twentj times what I could have bought it for. I've missed a chance to clean up a fortune.'" Lord Algj and Simpson took their departure from SaUy and her father soon after. Back at his own ranch. Lord Algy told his valet that he was going for a wall:^ He insisted on doing so tmaccompanied, despite Simpson's protestations that he might be waylaid by redskins in so doing. At the end of a half hour the j-oung Englishman retvuTied to the shack. He was whistling a sprightly tune, and he seemed to be in the best of spirits. "Simpson, take the pail down to the spring beside the road and get some water, ' he ordered his ser\-ant. The valet obediently set off on the errand. Three minutes later he came running back to the shack with the emptj pail still in his hand and his eyes bulging with fear. 'Asten witiL^me, sir !" he panted grasping Lord Algy by the hand and starting back toward the spring. " 'Asien with me! We hare lost, sir — the Hindians 'ave done for us now!" At the spring. Simpson pointed dramatically to a black substance that overspread the surface of the water. "The Hindians 'ave poisoned the spring, sir I" he declared to his master. "Hoh, my lord. Hi beg of you, let bus leave this wretched country hat once, sir '' Todd and Sprout, who were driving along the road in the buckboard from the Dunns', pulled up beside them. "What's the matter?"' demanded the tall land shark, as he viewed Simpson's excited gestictilations beside the spring. He climbed down as the valet ex Poor Simpson '. His heart was in iois niouih. as he heard ■"Hindian" creeping tov*-ard the door of the shack yvhere the fat valet's master lav sieecing. plained his fears, and. yvith Sprout, examined the black substance on top of the water. Rising, lie exchanged a yvink yvith his assistant. "Mister." Todd addressed Lord Algy-, with ill-concealed haste, "what your hired man here saj-s about the Indians hay-ing poisoned this spring I guess is the truth. The pesky yarmints are after you. You're endangerin' y-our life by stay-in' here — and I'm goin' to give you the chance to get away. I'y-e come to like j-ou; dumed if I ain't! I'm sorry I put up this syvindle on you, and I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll buy this place back from you at exactly the price you paid for it. How does that strike you? Is it a go?" Lord Algy seemed to hesitate for a. moment. '"All right," he agreed at last Til sell you back the land.'' Todd laid eager hands on him and helped him into the buckboard, getting in himself. "AA'e'U drive to town right away and sign the papers," he aimounced. Then looking down at Sprout, he jerked his head to his assistant back oy-er the way they had come. '"You walk back to the Dunns and tell [Miss Salh" I won't be able to keep my engagement to take her to the groy-e," he ordered that young man. And, picking up the reins, off he droy-e yvith Lord Algy% while Sprout turned to carry out his errand. Fifteen minutes later Sally appeared with the real-estate dealer's assistant 'beside her in the Dunns' buckboard. "Ts it true," she demanded of Simpson, ''that y-our master has driven to town with Jeff Todd to sell him back this land?'' "Yes, miss," the valet told her. Sprout had got doy\-n out of the buckboard. "If I tliought I could get there in time to stop him," began the girl, her brows knit anxiously as she peered up the road. "It's no use. Miss Sally.'' the land shark's assistant laughed up at her. "Todd's got there and signed the papers by this time He's put over a mighty cute deaL you've got to admit. He'U be on the yvay back here even now, 1 expect.*' Even as he spoke a cloud of dust appeared along the road from town. In another minute Todd and Lord Algy stepped down from the lanky realestate dealer's buckboard. "Hay-e you sold him your land?" Sally cried, running up to the young Englishman. Todd turned to Sprout. He cracked his knuckles and laughed, producing a paper which he showed in triumph to his assistant "Yes." said Lord -A.lgv. "Tie's been