Penny of Top Hill Trail Part 33

She was roused from her visions of the new and radiant world which had been opened unto her by a knock at her door.

"Yes," she answered vaguely.

"There's a man downstairs to see you," said the proprietor.

She was at once alert and on the defensive, thinking of an encounter with Hebler.

"Do you know who he is?" she asked apprehensively.

"He said to tell you 'twas Jo."

Joyfully she hastened down to the deserted office of the little inn.

"Jo, I am so glad it's you!"

"So am I. Come outside and take a walk with me."

"How did you ever track me up here, Jo?" she asked as they walked up a hillside.

"Not hard to track the first skycraft that ever came up to these parts. I saw one land near Westcott's, and I had a hunch it was lighting for you.

Then I thought no more about it until things happened that made it up to me to find you. I inquired around and about and found a big balloon had come this way, so I figured this was about your goal for a train."

"Why was it up to you to find me, Jo?"

"Well, Miss Penny Ante, I am a little interested in you, seeing as it was you who brought Marta to me. And I knew you would be interested in knowing Marta didn't take the ring."

"Oh, Jo! I tried to think it wasn't Marta, but--"

"She says she acted just as though she had taken it. It was old Merlin, nosing around the hall, who tucked it away. But the real reason I had to run you down was for my pal. He wants you."

"Why?" she asked. "To apologize? You didn't tell him, Jo--"

"I told him nothing."

"Then he must want me as an ex-sheriff."

"Cut that out, Miss Penny Ante. He wants to find you because he loves you."

"What makes you think so, Jo?"

"He 'fessed up when he found you had gone."

"He didn't love me--not as you love Marta," she reminded him. "It made no difference with you that Marta--"

He made a quick gesture of protest.

"You forget," he said soberly, "that when I met Marta and fell in love with her, I didn't know about--her. Bender had told him about you before he met you, and then he thought you belonged to me."

"Jo, if you had known Marta stole before you met her, wouldn't you have loved her and asked her to marry you?"

"I don't know," he said frankly, "and I don't care about 'might have beens.' I know I love her now and always shall. That is enough."

"Miss Penny Ante," he continued, as she did not answer him, "you don't know Kurt Walters as I do. He is a square man, square as a die."

"Yes, Jo," she said softly. "He is a real man--a square man. I know it now, too late."

"Not too late. Not if you care. Go back with me to the ranch. He has gone to town with the children to meet the Kingdons. Mrs. Kingdon is there, too. They will all be back to-night."

"No, Jo; it's too late."

"Why?"

"Because I gave Francis a letter telling him everything. He might overlook what he did know, but I understand his pride. He'll never overlook the other. He'll not forgive the deception."

"Go to him unexpectedly, Miss Penny Ante. A man off guard, you know. Come back to Top Hill with me."

"No; I am going to wait here until Larry comes back. I must."

"Who is he, and what is he to you?" asked Jo resentfully and suspiciously.

"So you see, Jo," she said, when she had finished a brief account of Larry's entrance into her life, "I can't go back with you. Don't tell anyone but Marta where you found me. Ask her to forgive me for being so stupid about the ring. I'll walk down to your car with you."

They walked slowly without speaking until they came to the inn. She looked at the car wistfully.

"I haven't been in this poor, little old car since that first ride to Top Hill," she said reminiscently.

He made no reply, but got into the car and put his hand on the wheel.

"Jo!"

"Well," he answered in the tone of one balked in his intentions.

"He'll get over it."

"No; men like Kurt don't get over anything like that. I know what it is to love without hope. I am sorry for Kurt. You'll be sorry for him, too, some day."

She had come close to the car, and he looked into her eyes as he said impressively:

"He loved you from that very first night."

"That very first night!" she echoed. "Not surely on that ride from town--from jail to Top Hill! Why, he fairly hated me then!"

"You're not hep to Kurt," he declared. "He said to me in just these words: 'I have loved her since that first night I saw her, when we camped on the trail--when she lay asleep in the moonlight.'"

After making this enlightening remark, he motored away, while Pen stood motionless with the shock of amazement in her eyes.

When Larry returned on the early east-bound, he found Pen on the veranda of the little inn.