Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

THE BUTT OF NEPTUNE’S JEST. act of retreat was an much a confession of defeat as is the name-calling a small boy indulges from his own front door after a run to reach it. But Dan was too angry even to con- template the ordering of the men to undo all the day’s work. He simply strode to- ward his room, without an intention in the world but to get his belongings and him- self ashore with all speed. Flinging his few possessions into a bag was the work a mo- ment. He hurried out and started toward the after-quarter again, to reach the ladder set up for the lighters’ crews, before they should have cast off entirely. - “ Going ashore, Mr. Corwin?” Dan halted. He could not evade giving some answer, much as the sound of the -girl’s voice made him wish to do so “Yes, Miss Hope,” he told her, without’ attempting to meet her eyes. The girl came toward him from the op- posite rail; at which she had been standing. “ You'll be back jfor dinner?”’ she asked. There was no hiding the overanxiety the mere sight of his departure with a’ bag - aroused. “J—I don’t think so,” Dan responded. once more, with an unsuccessful attempt this time to meet her gaze. “I was in hopes you would help me talk to father about a doctor this evening,” she now spoke up. . “Why—why—” He knew she was searching him. He flushed, trying to face her as she faced him. “Miss Hope,” he suddenly blurted, with a certain note of miserable defiance in his voice, “ I’m not coming back at all.’’. Wretched as it made him, he thought he was prepared to defend himself against an accusation that he was showing himself an- other of the quitters who had been her -father’s mates—gently, if possible, and without any mention of the real cause of her father’s utter inability to keep any mate; but prepared, if she would not have excuses, to tell her the whole truth and Jet’ her take it as she might. His anger at her father was too deep to brook any more real unfairness, even from her. But he was not at all prepared for the ,sound that came from her lips—a little, 67 inarticulate ‘ O-oh!”’ more like a gasp of pain than an accusation, and a thousand- fold more accusing because it did not ac- cuse. It broke in a half sob, then came again: ‘“ Oh—oh—Dan!”’ He hadn’t even known that she hhad ever heard of his first name. CHAPTER XV. HER VIEW. HE conversation with the new mate had wrought in Marion Hope’s breast a flutter all out of proportion, it seemed, to its emotional possibilities. Her first im- pulse was to run to her father, to tell him that he had at last got the right man, a man who understood his business and his place, a man ready to stick. The Spanish gentlemen in her father’s room prevented her carrying out any such rather premature recommendation of his last acquired officer. She went on to her room. | Her feelings seemed too dig for the lit- tle stateroom. A vague wonder halted her, as she started out -of it again—a wonder as to what all these emotions signified. She paused and looked in the glass over the bureau, as if to discover there something new in herself and hitherto unsuspected. She surely was not in love with this sad- looking skeleton of a man new risen from degradation rather sorrier than death. These feelings were nothing like those she had always entertained toward Bob Har- vey, whom she had somehow considered her lover ever since they had gone to high school together. But, really, it was a wonderful thing to hear that man tell her that she had been the instrument of his return to man’s es- tate. She could think of nothing else in her life of which she felt that it could be so completely worth while. She could think of nothing else ahead quite so worth while as giving him all the further help he might need in making his. self-restoration complete. No stone she could turn must be left in his way to prevent his making good. And here was fresh reason for taking seriously and acting promptly about her BGOMMGoOO (-) CO