Humorous stories; Love stories; Running races -- Fiction; Western stories
"Now have a little sense, pal. A sleep-walker don't know what
he's doin'."
"Since there's no harm done, you'd better all go back to bed,"
Chapin advised. "Mr. Glass has the liberty of the ranch, boys,
night or day, asleep or awake."
"Looks to me like he was tryin' to elope some." Stover balanced
upon one bare foot, and undertook to remove a sand-burr from the
other. In the darkness he seemed supernaturally tall, so that
Glass hastened to strengthen his story.
"I was walkin' in my sleep as nice as you please when those
rummies lep' on me. Say! You know that's dangerous; you can kill
a guy wakin' him up so sudden."
"There's easier ways than that," spoke Willie from the gloom.
"It's a yap trick just the same. I was in the middle of a swell
dream, too."
"Come, come, Stover, get your boys back to bed! We'll have the
whole ranch up with this noise."
Chapin himself led Glass around the house, while that gentleman
made no offer to explain the dream which had prompted him to pack
his suit-case before letting himself out of the training-
quarters. Once safely back in the gymnasium, he sat up till dawn,
a prey to frightful visions which the comfortable morning light
did not serve to dissipate.
Wally Speed slept serenely through the whole disturbance, and was
greatly amused at the story when he awoke. He was sorely tempted
to make known his agreement with Skinner, and put an end to his
trainer's agony of mind; but he recalled Skinner's caution, and
reflected that the slightest indiscretion might precipitate a
tragedy. For the first time since the beginning of the adventure
he was perfectly at ease, and the phenomenon added to his
trainer's dismay.
Others beside Lawrence Glass were apprehensive. Culver Covington,
for instance, was plainly upset, while Roberta Keap pleaded
headache and had her breakfast served in her room.
It was shortly afterward that she appeared in the gymnasium
doorway, and cried, in an accusing voice:
"Well, Mr. Speed!"
"Yes, quite well."
"You traitor!"
"You modern Borgia! Didn't you go and tell Helen everything?"
"Didn't you promise to stop Culver?"
"I did. I had him thrown in jail at Omaha. What more could I do?"
"You _did_ try? Honestly?" Mrs. Keap allowed her indignation
to abate slightly. "If I had known that, I wouldn't have told
Helen. I'm sorry you didn't explain. I was angry--furious. And I
was frightened so!" She broke down suddenly. "What shall I do
about them? I can see what they want to say, and yet I daren't
let either speak a word."
"Mrs. Keap, are you sure Culver loves you?"
"Horribly! And he suspects the truth. I saw him change the moment
he found me here." Roberta began to weep; two limpid tears stole
down her cheeks, she groped for a chair, and Wally hastened to
her assistance. As he supported her, she gave way completely and
bowed her head upon his shoulder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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