Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

a eee cops of & vanada,’ = Ny af ~" fap is = 6° -« 0 ear abs. aan eS ee 5 oe —e as - * = nS at Fo THE CRUCIBLE. King must be a power that was greater still. It could not be that, if she could nerve herself for the trial at hand, she was des- tined merely to satisfy his desires. Life must hold something finer than that. She knew that already, in the eyes of the world, she was compromised, but the sheer whiteness of her soul made it impossible for her to comprehend the full meaning of her position—and ignorance—nothing but ig- norance guided her like shining armor. King invited combat, the test of brain and wit and courage and endurance. “Well,” she whispered to herself, “ for the sake of a distant lover, whose future is imperiled, I will meet that test.” A few hours later, when they met on deck after breakfast, King for the first time felt a strange sensation of surprise. Sylvia, as he expected, and he knew that she could do nothing else, had agreed to his proposal, but her consent was given in a manner which piqued and faintly puzzled him. He wondered at first if, having lowered her defenses, she had accepted the situa- tion with a sort of helpless resignation, and decided to take the path he knew would be followed by many a woman under similar circumstances. But he felt persuaded that there was something in her manner that could not be characterized as helpless. She seemed more alert, and spoke with a bright vivacity that carried with it an added attraction. In the past he had not credited her with any special mentality, there having been little reason for that, but it was not mental- ity he desired. It was the passionate aban- don, devoid of bond or convention, that he craved, that strange outpouring of them- selves in the flaming temple of desire to which, from the first, so many men of genius have given themselves. What might come after that he did not care, and, in a strange way to men like him- self the pursuit had almost the allure of its achievement. Looking at Sylvia that morning, he decided instantly that the pur- suit was more worth while than ever. ‘‘ Well,” he said with a provocative smile, “you look unusually fit.” She nodded. “I am, and I’m longing to ”? x ia ae 4 the ED, ae went. into one of the s nal 69 He pointed to a faint blue line that lay far on the horizon. ‘“ There are £3 of Belle Isle, and beyond them the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a wonderful gateway to a wonderful city.” “Then Quebec?” “Yes, a bit of medieval France which Canada is wise enough to preserve unal- tered. Then Montreal, where we leave the ship.” , “Please go on. It’s all so new to me and rather exciting.” Sylvia looked lovely at that moment, her eyes alight, a flush in her smooth cheeks. ‘From Montreal we take rail for nearly two days, then, at the jumping-off place, go on by canoe. That’s where the wilder- ness really begins.” Sylvia felt thrilled and looked it. She had begun to act now. She-was acting with all her art, and her brain had never seemed so alive before. She knew she had made a good beginning, and her former sense of insecurity dwindled perceptibly. Then she met King’s curious glance, and was amazed that she could encounter it without a quiver.. “You evidently know Canada,” she haz- arded. 7 “Some of it, but not where we’re going now. The Victrix is in a new district.” He laughed a little, as if to himself. “ Do you know the real meaning of the word Victrix?” ‘No, but I’ve wondered.” “It means, she who conquers,” he: said gravely. ‘‘ Does that sound in any way propitious to you?” She smiled at him daringly. ‘“ If I were superstitious I would consider it a very good omen for Sylvia Dart. I wonder what’s going on there now?” As a matter of fact, there was not very much going on at the Victrix as yet, and this thought was in the mind of a young giant of a man who was, at that moment, walking thoughtfully down a forest trail that dipped sharply to where a cluster of log-hewn buildings showed their flat roofs in a clearing. Close beside them was the shore of a mirrorlike lake around which arose the dark green ranks of sentinel pines. The young man glanced indifferently at ~~ - — — = ae Oe —- Se a a on Sem oe ee i a mite == ioe ee = Seas ~ sa comes =o ee - aia e straits. ee ss - fan- . te : tee eh eGTICDGOKe Com