Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

392 ' the heart that sent the mate staggering against the table, which overturned and crashed to the floor. Allerton gasped audibly, and paled, then recovered, and rushed at the son of his em- ployer with a growl of rage. Standing in the doorway, several seamen had come to watch the fight with all ap- pearances of ghoulish glee. “What are they fighting about?” ques- tioned a voice that reached Judith quite plainly. “A skoit, of course,” sibilantly whis- pered a seaman in good water-front ver- nacular. “TDidn’t know there was one on board,” came the reply. Judith stepped swiftly across the thres- hold, and gained the deck. She could not leave, however, while the fate of Fenwick was in doubt. She knew that this was a fight to a finish, but she prayed that the handsome beast who had kissed her might be the one that got “ finished.” She peered into the window through which Fenwick had spied her a few min- utes prior; that seemed now like hours to the girl. There was a fierce renewal of the fight. They reeled, and crashed, and panted all over the handsome salon, overturning fur- niture, breaking it, smashing bric-a-brac; Fenwick’s face covered with blood, each man’s silk shirt torn to ribbons. Allerton’s face was unmarked, but looked pale and drawn. Suddenly Stephen tripped on a rug, and Allerton drove his fist into his jaw with such force that it sent him reeling. Fenwick straightened from it, trembling. He shook his head; his face, a smother of blood, leered at the mate. He spoke with difficulty through swollen lips. His one open eye shot a light as white, and clean, and cold as steel. “T was raised on them!” he growled. In that instant the whole scheme of battle changed. Stephen drove the wily Allerton into a corner. The mate groped to clinch his foe; Fenwick eluded him and dealt him a right-hand blow from the hip upon his jaw that felled Allerton. He lay twitching upon the floor. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. The fight was finished. Captain Lang pushed his way through the crowd of sea- men, who scuttled away like rabbits. “How did this start?” questioned the captain, gazing up into Fenwick’s face, that bore little resemblance now to the Fifth Avenue exquisite. “It seems to require no explanation,” said Fenwick through swollen lips that somehow contrived a smile. ‘ You better have your mate looked after. I’m going to my stateroom, and have Owonto fix me up.” “Oh, I’ll look after the mate, all right!” exclaimed the skipper angrily. Stephen glanced around the salon, and then hastened to the door that opened upon the lower deck. Judith had disappeared. But she had seen the last of the battle. Fierce joy ir- radiated her. Judith was proud of the strength of her champion. Had he been a Knight of the Round Table jousting for her favor in the lists, she could have ac- corded him no more generous admiration than she was doing now. Fenwick reached his stateroom. He and Owonto entered into the mysteries of restor- ation. In a half hour Stephen reclined at ease in an armchair, his cut lip only a little swollen, his eye just a trifle discolored, his whole face only a bit the worse for the ter- rible beating it had received from the fists of the mate. He had donned silk pyjamas, and a gor- geous silk dressing gown, and had lighted a cigarette. He intended to go and find the girl as soon as he had refreshed himself with a smoke. There came a light tap at the door. Owonto was still engaged in re- moving evidences of the recent battle. Fen- wick strode to the door, and opened it. Judith stood there wide-eyed. “T couldn’t go to bed without thankin’ you. I hope you ain’t hurt!” There was anxiety in her face. “Not a bit,” cried Fenwick cheerily. “I’m quite ready for that walk on deck if you are.” y “TI don’t feel like I was ever goin’ to sleep again,” said Judith. ‘““T feel the same,” laughed Stephen. “You go back to your stateroom, and I’ll (E00) DOOKS AMG (©)