Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

490 A burly figure was coming toward her from the shadow. As a black velvet coat and white hair came into view she cried: ‘Why, it’s Uncle Donald!” “You’re the last person I expected to see,’ he replied, beaming. ‘‘ And what’s the clapping for?” ‘For the Valkyrie. JI saw my flag flying up there on the main peak, and it seemed so far up that it just thrilled me. Why, Uncle Donald, it makes me dizzy even to Jook up there, and then it makes me shud- der, too, because it seems almost defiance.” “Tut! tut! tut!” Donald MacKay uttered the last with the tone of one vexed by a too insistent ques- tioning, “What’s the greatest thing you see in that ship, Uncle Donald?” “ Power to carry sail, my dear. I don’t! believe that there’ll be wind enough in all the ocean to really test her strength.” There was not a curve or line or angle of Valkyrie which did not carry out the idea of perfect proportion and balance. Her gracefully curving cutwater and neatly rounded stern fitted each other to per- fection. Strength and power wedded to delicate, fragile beauty was the elusive blending which distinguished MacKay’s cracks from all others. “T never saw her look so lovely,” said the designer. ‘“ To-morrow will be my great day. After uneriding perplexities and fears, everything is complete.” “Everything, but to-morrow’s launch- ing,” answered Mary. “ No buts, Mary.” The night watchman, William Darrach, was approaching, and MacKay hailed ‘him. He came up quickly, accompanied by a little girl, carrying a dinner pail. Donald MacKay noticed the child first. “What are you doing here, my dear?” “ Just bringing grandpa his supper.” “ And what’s your name?” Ellen.” “Ah, that’s a lovely name.” Reaching into his pocket he pulled out two tickets, which he gave to the night watchman. se These. are for you and Ellen for the banquet in the mold loft to-morrow. You'll be sure to be there, won’t you Darrach?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. The little girl danced with glee. But the night watchman only touched his cap and looked sadly at Valkyrie. ‘“What’s the matter?” “TI beg pardon, sir, I know there’s some- thing wrong, but I cannot tell.” “See here, Darrach, you musn’t allow yourself to get like that, it will never do. Now you let my niece, Miss Mary, stay with you and Ellen here for a few minutes, while 1 make my last trip around the ways, te see that everything is right.” “ Can’t I go with you, sir?” “No, you stay here with the girls.” “¢ All Le sir, but be careful.” Donald MacKay’s answer was a defiant laugh, and he was gone. Mary saw him vanish with a sense of doom. “What makes you afraid, Darrach?” “‘ Have you heard the rumors, miss?”’ “ Yes, I’ve heard them, but I don’t bes lieve them, do you?” “Tm afraid I do. It may seem strange to you, but I’ve been all my life in ship- yards, till I’ve come to see that ships has souls, the same as humans, and it’s a wae day when a ship is born with an evil soul.” “How do you make that out?” “Why, it’s plain and simple, miss; some ships is lucky, and bears a charmed life, others is born under an evil star. Of the unlucky ships, the worst of all is the man- killers, ships that without ever falling into trouble themselves, never arrive at the end of a voyage without having lost a man, in one way or another, washed overboard, fall- ing from aloft, or—” ‘Darrach cut short his doleful tale, for Donald MacKay, from a distance, was call- ing for Mary to join him. As she bent over to kiss Ellen good-by, Mary saw in the up- turned face the most tragic, haunting fear, the fear of a little child. VALKYRIE’S TRYST. ONALD MACKAY slept fitfully that night, his brief slumber broken by the apparition of a living ship upon the ways. : In his nightmare, it was borne upon him Eomicbdoo KS) (S@)