Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 171: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SOUL OF were married—and that he had long since forgotten. ‘Henry struck the lake near its upper end, where it was wildest. He was glad to find himself quite alone; he laid his hat on the ground and sat down close beside the shore, facing the wind that blew strongly toward him from across the water. The lake was rough, and the sound of its little angry waves beating against the pebbly beach at his feet thrilled him. After a mo- ment the moon came from behind a flying cloud and the water was lighted with sil- ver. Henry sighed rapturously. For perhaps ten minutes he sat motion- less. Then abruptly coming from up the lake he saw.a lone canoe. It was hardly more than two hundred feet off shore, and was heading downward, across the wind. Henry could see it plainly in the moonlight . —a canoe with a single occupant, a girl, seated in its stern and paddling with a sin- gle padile. The empty bow of the canoe rose high in the air. Henry watched it with furiously beating heart as it rose and fell on the silvery waves. The girl was paddling desperately, and evidently with waning strength to keep its bow from blowing around toward the shore. . 3 The wind increased with a sudden gust, and all at once the girl stopped paddling. The bow of the canoe, acting almost like a sail, swung rapidly around. The canoe rode more quietly now, but drifted steadily shoreward. After‘'a moment the girl start- ed paddling again, and came slanting across the waves in a dtrection that Henry -Yreahzed with a start would land her almost at his feet. . Another gust forced her to increase the force of her strokes, but still she could not hold her own. She was almost opposite Henry, and hardly fifty feet off shore, when she gave up again; this time evidently for good, for she held the paddle idle across her knees. The canoe blew inshore rapidly. Henry was sitting in the shadow of. a-tree and knew the girl had not seen him. Another moment passed and the bow of the canoe grated upon the pebbly beach, hardly ten feet from where he sat. | 11 A HENRY JONES, Henry started to his feet. The girl was standing up, gingerly trying to walk shore- ward in the rocking little craft. Henry shouted. The girl looked up, startled; and at the same instant a wave struck the stern quarter of the caoe, slueing it around. The girl lost her’ balance and fell over- board. Henty leaped forward to the beach. He was not a bit frightened, he told himself afterward; instead, there was joy in his heart—a fierce, reckless joy. For this at last was life! The canoe, partly filled, rolled sidewise to the waves and grounded. The girl struggled to her feet, knee-deep in the - water and soaking wet. Henry ran past the canoe, and without hesitating, waded out and stood facing her. “TI fell overboard,” announced the girl. “Yes, I—I saw you,” said Henry. “I was sitting there.” He waved his hand vaguely toward the shore. His heart was almost smothering him; yet he felt no sur- prise, for it seemed only natural and right that she should come to ‘him so unexpect- edly and so soon. For Henry at once rec- ognized this girl standing beside him in the lake as the girl he had passed and smiled , at that morning. And then, in a flash, he knew also that it was to her beautiful blue eyes he had been reading poetry all that day, and it was her wayward golden tresses that had floated before him and would not go away, even when the customer was annoyed be- cause a shoe pinched. “Why, you’re all wet,” said Henry. ‘““So are you,” rejoined the girl. Then suddenly she laughed—a little silvery peal, like far-off bells at sunset, Henry thought. “How silly of us.: Let’s go ashore,” she _ added. ‘ Let’s,” said Henry. ‘“ Let me help you.” He put his hand upon her arm; her dress was wet and cold, but the touch made nim tremble. It was only a few steps to the dry beach. The girl shook her. skirts and sat down in the grass, shivering a little. Henry took off his coat instantly. It was quite dry, and he wrapped it around her shoulders. The girl smiled at him gratefully. COL ElOO® Colin