Page:Honore Willsie--Judith of the godless valley.djvu/296

 Judith chuckled. "Ah! perhaps this is your idea of love making!"

"You'll recognize it all right when I begin," said Douglas, skilfully steering Jude past his father, who had been visiting the pail in the corner and was swinging Inez in a wild fandango down the center of the room.

Douglas had not the least desire to dance with any one but Judith, and when she danced with other men he wandered uneasily around the room. About eleven o'clock he missed Scott. "Where's Scott gone?" he asked Jimmy.

"O he only stayed for the first dance! I guess he and Inez had a row."

Douglas scowled thoughtfully and wandered over to the phonograph, which Peter was manipulating.

"Where's Charleton, Peter?"

"He went out after a stray stallion he thinks has wandered up on Lost Chief."

Douglas gave Peter a startled glance. "Jimmy Day just said he'd gone into Mountain City."

Peter shrugged his shoulders. "All I know is what Charleton told me last Monday." He slid a new record into the machine.

"Wait a moment!" Douglas put his hand on the starting-ever. "Isn't that the telephone ringing downstairs?"

Peter listened; then nodded.

"I'll answer it!" exclaimed Douglas.

He dashed downstairs and jerked the receiver off the hook. "I want Doug! I gotta depone to Doug," came a breathless old voice over the wire.

"Yes, Johnny, here I am! Where are you?"

"At Mary's. They got the preacher, Doug!"