Penny of Top Hill Trail

by Belle Kanaris Maniates

  CHAPTER VII

  The next day Francis carried out his cherished intention of being a "bitbad," and in violation of orders, surreptitiously mounted a "real horse"instead of his well-behaved little pony, and set out on adventure bound.

  The horse, surprised at his burden, cantered casually along at first;then, resenting the intrusion, began to toss his head, snort and curvetabout. The lad, a little frightened but game, kept his seat and the horse,seemingly ashamed to trifle longer with so small a foe, resumed his easycanter, though at a swifter pace than Francis was wont to ride. All mighthave ended well, had not Kurt in his home-made car suddenly sounded ablatant horn as he came around a curve. To his vision was disclosed aplunging horse and a small, fair-haired atom of a boy clinging to hisneck. There was a forward plunge and the horse thundered on like mad alonga narrow slant of road with never a slackening of speed.

  Kurt cranked up for pursuit, but his crude craft was not built on speedlines, and he saw the distance fast eaten up between him and the frenziedhorse. Then, with tiger swiftness, Kingdon's car, a motor of make, passedhim, Gene at the wheel, Pen beside him. The sight gave him no hope. Theycould doubtless overtake the horse, but they could not stop him and ifthey could, the boy would be thrown.

  Pen's clear young voice came like a clarion call:

  "Stick tight, Francis! Burr-tight! We'll get you all right."

  Gene steered the car to the cliff side of the road to prevent the peril ofa plunge by the horse.

  When the long, low racing car was nearly up to the Mazeppa flier, a thrillran through Kurt as he saw Pen step out on the running board. He forgotthe boy's danger as he divined her purpose.

  The car closed in on the horse. The girl leaned far out, snatched the boyfrom the horse and climbed back into the car which now slowed up.

  It was done in a second, so swiftly, so aptly that Kurt could only sit andgape with the sort of fore-knowledge that it must come out all right, asone gazes at a thrilling scene in a motion picture. When he came alongsidethe car, Gene looked up with a challenging grin. Francis, though pale andbreathing quickly, wore a triumphant look. Pen's expression was entirelynormal.

  Kurt tried to speak, but his voice was dry in his throat.

  "I stuck on, didn't I?" clamored Francis in satisfied tone.

  Then Kurt recovered and began to reprimand the lad, but a certain sparklein Pen's eyes as she clasped the lad to her restrained him.

  He turned upon Gene.

  "Did you know she was going to do that?"

  "Sure!" was the confident reply. "I knew she could do it."

  He flung Kingdon's racer into motion and slid on down the white ribbon ofroad to the ranch, while Kurt's little machine rattled and creaked andjolted along.

  "He'll be sore at coming in after the black flag," chuckled Gene. "Kurtain't used to being second, but I don't often get a chance at this car."

  Kurt didn't come up to the house all that day until long after the dinnerhour. He found Pen alone in the invitingly-furnished sitting room, theamber light from a shaded lamp bringing out the gleaming gold in herhair.

  She looked up with a shy smile of welcome, and instantly he felt the charma woman could bring to a room like this--a room full of rest andharmony--a haven to a man wearied from the day's work.

  He sat by the table opposite her--too content to desire his pipe.

  "Where are they all?" he asked presently.

  "Francis was tired and repentant after the excitement wore off and wasquite ready to go to bed early. Billy and Betty followed suit. Mrs. Merlinhas a headache."

  "How did you come to be riding with Gene this morning?" he askedabruptly.

  "Mrs. Merlin asked us to go to her cottage for some things she needed. Shethought Gene wouldn't be able to find them."

  The natural tone of her reply and her utter lack of surprise or resentmentat his question quite appeased him.

  "It's a little cool to-night," he said suddenly. "Wouldn't you like tohave a fire?"

  She thought it would be nice, and interestedly watched him build one inthe big fireplace.

  He formed a fortress of logs with the usual huge one for a background.When he had a fire to his liking he came and sat beside her.

  "That was wonderful--what you did this morning," he said abruptly.

  "No; it was simply instinctive."

  "It was a hair-breadth thing to do, but very brave."

  "It wasn't bravery," she denied after a moment's reflection. "It was--Ican't tell you just what it was."

  "It made me bless the fate that led me to you that day."

  "Then," she said lightly, but coloring confusedly, "I am glad I was ableto do it--to repay you and Mrs. Kingdon in part. But where have you beenall day?"

  "I have been down in the farthest field."

  "Working?"

  "Yes; and thinking. Thinking of you--and what you did."

  "Where did you have dinner?"

  "I have had none. I am only just aware that I would like some. I camethrough the kitchen on my way in, but the cook didn't seem to be about."

  "They are having some sort of entertainment in the mess hall."

  "I am glad you didn't go," he said impetuously.

  "I thought you would rather I didn't go," she replied docilely. "I willtry to find you something to eat. Will you come and help me? Cook says youare a champion coffee maker."

  They went through the kitchen into a smaller room.

  "Betty calls this the 'kitchen yet!' But can you cook?" said Kurt.

  "I am glad I won't be called upon to prove it. The larder's well larded,and I will set this little table while you make the coffee."

  By the time the coffee was made, she had set forth an inviting littlesupper. She sat opposite him and poured the coffee. It seemed to him someway that it was the coziest meal he had eaten since his home days--theearly home days before his mother died and he had gone to the prunishaunt.

  "We must leave things as we found them," she told him when they could nolonger make excuse for lingering.

  "I feel in a very domestic mood," he said, as he wiped the few dishes.

  "Do you know I have a very hearthy feeling myself. I know why a cat purrs.Everything is shipshape now. I'll say good night, and--"

  "Come back to the fire," he entreated. "I want to smoke."

  Back in the library Pen made herself comfortable on one of the windowseats, pulling up the shade to let the moonlight stream in.

  He followed and sat beside her, watching in silence the pensive, youngprofile, the straight little features, the parted lips, as she gazed awayover the moonlit hills. He felt a strange yearning tenderness.

  "Pen!"

  She turned, a sweet, alluring look in her eyes.

  "Pen!" he said again.

  "Yes--Kurt."

  Some alien, inexplicable force seemed to battle with his nature. His lipsquivered and then compressed as if in a mighty resolution.

  A moment later she slid from the window seat to the floor.

  "It is late; good night!" she said quietly.

  He rose, took her hand in his and said earnestly:

  "Good night, Pen. I wish--"

  Again he stopped abruptly.

  "I know what you wish," she said in a matter of fact way; "you are wishingthat I had never been--a thief."

  The color flooded his face; embarrassment, longing and regret struggledvisibly for mastery.

  "Good night," she repeated, as she quickly sped from the room, leaving himspeechless.

  Upstairs in her room she stood by the window.

  "Kurt," she soliloquized, "you've been weighed and found wanting. Youdon't know what love is. No man does. It is a woman's kingdom."

  Then a radiant smile drove the reflective shadows from her eyes. There hadburst forth a whistle, clear, keen, inspiring. Only one person in herworld was so lark-like, so jubilant, so joyous of nature as to improvisesuch a trilling melody.

  With an expectant smile she looked out and saw Jo crossing the moonlitl
awn.

  "Halloa, Jo!" she called softly.

  He looked up, extended his cap at arm's length with a gay flourish andcalled:

  "Bless your little heart of honey! What are you doing up so late?"

  "Is it late?" she asked in arch surprise. "I'm so sorry, for I was goingto say I'd come down for a little walk with you."

  "'Deed, it's never too late for that; but say, little Penny Ante, Kurt issitting in the library window--"

  "I am not coming into view of the library window. Wait a moment! Catchthis."

  She picked up her sweater from the window seat and threw it down to him,stepped nimbly over the railing of the little balcony, made a quickspring, caught the branch of a nearby tree and slid down to earth.

  "Say, you little squirrel! You'd make some sailor. It's hungry I've beenfor sight of you. I met Gene in town this afternoon and he told me aboutthe wonderful stunt you pulled off this morning for Francis."

  "That was nothing. But--have you come back, Jo?"

  "Not yet. I'm motoring in from town and left my car down in the road. Ijust thought I'd pass by your window and let out a whistle for you."

  "Jo, I came down to say something serious--"

  "You can say anything you like to me, Miss Penny Ante," he repliedencouragingly.

  "Come away where no one can overhear our voices."

  They strolled away out of the moonlight to the shelter of some shrubberywhere they talked long and earnestly. On the way back to the house, Pen,lifting her eyes to his, was struck by the look in his boyish face.

  "Jo," she said, a slight wistfulness in her tone, "you really love--theway a woman loves."

  "What's the use," he said defiantly, "if the one I love won't haveme--she--"

  He stopped short and looked at her keenly.

  "You know, Jo, you must learn to be patient and await--developments."

  A light leaped to his eyes.

  "I'll wait! But the limit mustn't be too far. Do you know what Geneconfided to me to-night? He thinks that Kurt is in love with you!"

  She laughed mirthlessly.

  "Kurt! He wouldn't know how to love. If he did, he wouldn't let himself.He would hang on to his love like a Jew to a bargain. Who would want agrudging love?"

  "Kurt is my pal--he--"

  "He won't be if he finds us lingering here. You reconnoitre and see if heis still in the window. I don't intend to shinny up this tree. It's somuch easier going down than up."

  "You can go in the kitchen way. It's cook's affinity night, and she'ssomewhere with Gus."

  "The kitchen is where I go in then. Jo, are you very sure that you are inlove--enough to marry a thief? You're only a boy. Better keep your loveuntil you are older."

  "I am not a boy. I am two and twenty."

  "Quite an old man! I'll see you very soon again, and maybe I can giveyou--your answer. Kurt goes to town early in the morning. Meet me in thepergola near the garage. Good night!"

  By way of the kitchen and back stairs she reached her room undetected.

  "Dear old Jo! Poor Kurt!" she thought sleepily, as she stretched herselfluxuriously to rest. "It's a very small, very funny old world, and thethief is certainly getting in deep waters."

  On the trail to Westcott's, Jo was chuckling to himself.

  "The little thief! If she isn't the slickest little lass I ever saw!"

  In the library, oblivious to time and place, Kurt still lingered, hisdream-like memories trying to learn the tune that Pan was piping on hisreeds.