Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

By CHARLES FRANCIS COE Author of ‘‘ Geechee Shad,’ ‘‘ Moonglow,’’ ‘‘ Alkali,’’ ‘* Me: Gangster,’’ etc. CHAPTER XXTI. EMBARKATION. HE words were a bombshell. The uncle gasped in amazement. Colonel Raynor tapped on the table top with his fingers and pursed his lips in speculation. Tad Raynor flushed with pleasure, held his hand toward the girl, and smiled again as she accepted it in hearty grip. “God knows you may trust me, Miss Barbara!” he promised. “ But I still think it foolhardy for you to attempt the trip. ‘You see, these men will have reached the claim by the time we can get there! It will be hot fighting, nip and tuck—” “No one gets the maps unless I go!” Barbara Howland snapped. “ Plan every- thing on that.” There was finality in her tone. ‘““T reckon you're going, Miss Barbara,” Tad Raynor said slowly. “‘ Because I surely am! And I can’t go without the maps!” “Uncle Ned is such a dear,” Barbara Howland admitted when the gate of San Francisco fell away into the gloom of dis- tance. ‘‘ But he is most trying at times, Tad! Fancy his attempting to stop me!” ‘ T suppose he’s right, if truth must out,” Raynor grunted. ‘“ But I’m right satis- fied that everything is settled and we’re on our way, Barb! You can bet I'll do my best to look out for you!” There was a warmth of tone in his words that did not escape the girl and, if she was annoyed by it, she gave no sign. Rather, she seemed to look forward to the adventure ahead even as keenly as did Raynor him- self. They stood at the rail of the ship as it This story began in the Argosy-Allstory Weekly for January 14 920 .OO (EOLA MICE (E@)