Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 174: what you’re looking at

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548 she showed not the least surprise at his confession. “But I want to learn, Miss Morton,” he added earnestly. mere”? Miss Morton would. And so began the series of canoe rides and lessons with which - their friendship developed to its climax, and Henry’s soul underwent its next and final great change. You are to picture Henry, then, on this momentous tenth evening, sitting very erect and manly upon the stern seat of Miss Morton’s canoe, in his shirt-sleeves, bis forearms bared, hatless, and with his hair rumpled and pushed straight back— almost, but not quite, covering his bald ' spot. Miss Morton herself lay at his feet in the bottom of the canoe on a pile of cushions—her golden hair nestling against one of flaming red, and her baby blue eyes looking up into Henry’s face. And Henry was supremely happy —an_ unreasoning, turbulent happiness—as with long, swift strokes he sent the canoe skimming over the shimmering silver lake. The moon overhead hung in a cloudless, starry sky; a soft, gentle summer breeze fanned his flushed face.. Distant music from a talking machine on one of the cot- tage porches floated distinct across the lake. Henry looked at the girl’s gracefully reclining figure with a heart too full for words. ~ “TJ Jove the sound of music over water, don’t you?” asked Miss Morton softly. Henry let his paddle trail idly in his left band. A sudden madness possessed him. He leaned down and put his other hand over the girl’s as it lay in her lap. “‘T love you—Elsie,” he said huskily. Miss Morton gasped; she stared for an instant into Henry’s flushed, eager face with its pleading eyes. Then she’ laughed. “ Why you—you funny little fat man,’ she cried. Henry withdrew his hand as though from a red-hot ‘stove. “No—no, I didn’t mean that. sorry—really, I am, Mr. Jones. I didn’t . Mean to hurt you—really I didn’t. But you are funny, you know, when you talk like that.” The girl poured out the words Oh, I’m “‘Won’t you teach. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. swiftly. Her tone was contrite, but the merriment did not die out of her eyes. Henry sat up very stiff and straight, Staring out over the glistening water. “I didn’t know it was funny,” he said; the words came hardly above a whisper. “ Sall right, Miss Morton. Only—lI didn’t know it would be funny.” His eyes, with a dumb, hurt look in them like the look of a wounded dog, fell to hers. an instant. Then in silence he turned the canoe and paddled back to her home. Let us not pry too deeply into Henry’s feelings that terrible night. They can be imagined, but they cannot be told. He did not close his eyes until dawn, but sat propped up in bed, staring blankly across the moonlit little bedroom. Once in the middle of the night he became aware that his wife was not asleep, but lying wide awake watching him. As he turned to face her, she put her hand gently upon his. | ‘What is it, dear?”’ she asked softly. “Sall right,” said Henry. He felt the answering pressure of her hand. In the dim moonlight, her face suffused with love and tenderness, seemed suddenly very beautiful. ‘‘ ’Sall right, Martha. I was just thinking. You go to sleep.” Thus, in the gray light of dawn, in the agony of disillusionment, and. with his sleeping wife’s hand in his, Henry Jones faced and solved his great problem. The change—for like all the rest it was only a change in him—came gradually. The tur- bulence of his thoughts slowly calmed; the ache in his heart grew less. _ And then, clear and shining as a beacon light this new idea, this new feeling, rose in his mind. He seized it, lingered over it, gazéd at it from-every aspect. And then came a great sense of rest. and peace steal- ing over him. He sighed, gripped his wife’s hand tighter, and fell into a dream- - less sleep. At breakfast next morning Henry was abnormally cheerful. Martha made no reference to~his long vigil the night before, nor did he. But his eyes followed her around with a strange light, and his usual- ly pink face was flushed even pinker with excitement. GON Gwoolks Colin