"You shall
know as much as I do, though that is little, and if it excites your
curiosity, you can ask Ferris for the rest. He is only anxious to
enhance the value of his story by being mysterious. Well, there was a
more or less dramatic happening, of the kind our friends in the old
country unwarrantably fancy is typical of the West, in the saloon of
the settlement not long ago. Cards, pistols, a professional gambler,
and the unmasking of foul play, don't you know. Somebody from
Silverdale played the leading role."
"How interesting!" said a young English girl. "Now, I used to fancy
something of that kind happened here every day before I came out to the
prairie. Please tell us, Mr. Ferris! One would like to find there is
just a trace of reality in our picturesque fancies of debonair
desperadoes and big-hatted cavaliers."
There was a curious expression in Ferris's face, but as he glanced
around at the rest, who were regarding him expectantly, he did not
observe that Maud Barrington and her aunt had just come in and stood
close behind him.
"Can't you see there's no getting out of it, Ferris?" said somebody.
"Well," said the lad in desperation, "I can only admit that Gordon is
right. There was foul play and a pistol drawn, but I'm sorry that I
can't add anything further. In fact, it wouldn't be quite fair of me."
"But the man from Silverdale?" asked Mrs. Macdonald.
"I'm afraid," said Ferris, with the air of one shielding a friend, "I
can't tell you anything about him.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185