Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

4 402 this sea. But it will subside considerably before night, and by that time I hope to- pick up the boats. We can get them along- side, and take off the men by careful han- dling, if we are so fortunate as to have the chance. Now I must get some sleep. Mr. Allerton is in charge.” His tired eyes twin-. kled at Stephen. “Pll keep out of his way,” assured the young man with droll appreciation. ‘Captain Lang chuckled. “ By the way,” he asked, ‘‘ how is the girl?” “ Quite safe,” replied Stephen. “Some frightened?” “A little. So was I,” admitted Ste- phen. “A fool never gets frightened. Some call absence of fright bravery. It can be conquered, and a man can do his part bravely, but I don’t believe that a normal man or woman was ever faced with death by accident without at the first moment experiencing what we call fear—that is, if they have time to think at all.” He turned toward the companionway with a tired sigh. Stephen tramped up and down the deck to get the fatigue out of his muscles. Sea- men who were busy repairing the ravages done by the storm bade him cheery good morning. This young son of Big Fenwick had be- come a sort of hero to them because of his great physical prowess. This feeling for him was to be of inestimable value to him later. Besides, the common danger through which they had all passed triumphantly gave them all a fellow-feeling. Stephen’s spirits again winged as he paced up and down the deck and gazed out over the gray expanse of sea. He humor- ously reflected that he had entirely under- estimated the capacity of the Atlantic Ocean to provide excitement. Within twenty-four hours he had fallen in love, enjoyed a corking fight, and the craft had weathered a tremendous storm. Now, if the fates were kind, they would rescue this vessel in distress, if her crew and officers had not already been rescued by some other vessel, or they had not perished. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. He shuddered as he visualized for a mo- ment the terrible pictures, the chaos of the now fairly calm sea—pictures forever en- graved upon the sensitized plate of his memory. There came the thought of the girl and her sweet reliance upon him. He glanced at his watch. The half hour was up. He would recon- noiter. He ran down the stairs as if he had bor- rowed the wings of Mercury. He sought the dining salon and entered impetuously. She was there, a gorgeous apparition. A half hour had been sufficient for her toi- let, which she had completed with an eager- ness that matched his own. She had dressed herself from top to toe in creamy white. She had determinedly squeezed her feet into the tiny white shoes she had found; they hurt only a trifle; and then just because she could not resist the temptation of that bit of barbaric embroid- ery, she had flung that over the white gown. ‘The result made Stephen’s pulses leap a little faster than normal. “ How beautiful you are!” He paused upon the other side of the table and gazed across at her. His voice was a little thick, slightly tremulous. Judith liked this man’s compliments. Her liking was at one with her perception that she had changed somewhat in her at- titude toward the masculine gender since she had known him. ‘** Ain’t it—the—coat?” she stammered. ‘““T was so glad that we didn’t get drowned- ed that I felt like celebratin’.”’ Her hands stroked the soft satin lin- geringly, lovingly. “That ain’t all the ttruth,” she con- fessed shyly. “I guess I just naturally love pretty things. I had to put it on.” “T’m glad you did, Miss Stowaway. It isn’t the coat, however, that makes you beautiful. By the way, do you know that you haven’t told me your name?” He, had gone around to the other side of the table, and was holding the chair for Judith. She did not understand this sim- ple courtesy; so she made no move to be seated, but stcod facing him. Her name! One that was even now per- CEOPMICE OO KS (E@)