Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

634 Skid’s grin was ample when they rejoined the group on the porch, where Mae was idly patting Bert’s shoulder with one hand and .rumpling the idiotic Jim’s hair with theeother. Mama Temple had taken her belonged. All im all it was a highly successful day. Once Bert suceeeded in being alone with Ann for about three minutes before he was ‘interrupted in a lengthy explanation by Mae; and his harangue was of small avail. It was evident that Ann regarded him as a fallen creature, and Skid found opportu- nity to ask her if she liked the rooms all on one floor, or preferred a two-story biumga- low. . Skid also had a word alone with his oki friend. “ Jim,” he said, “ you surprise me! You should be an actor. If you play up to Mae hereafter as you have so far done, you need have no fear that Ann and Bert will clasp hands before a man in a black frock coat. Do you care for the way Mae arranges her hair? Bost Teen, dind a vety e267 to Oke her. ? “TI can well believe it,” said Jim; and Skid regarded him wonderingly and walked away. To give Bert credit, he apparently did his best to combat the witchery of Mae, - which of course did not go unnoticed by that young woman and made her more de- termined than ever. She had no intention of being humiliated by a girl of Ann’s cah- ber, particularly before Skid Smith, who would laugh scornfully and very likely tell her that she was growing aged, and that he was pleased to discover another man who . had intelligence of the same high order as his own. | Now Mae was really a very nice girl, but in her profession girls aré readily recog- nized as portions of the scenery, and false modesty is unknown. And Mae loved to swim, but found Jt difficult when impeded by dress goods. As a consequence, her bathing-suit was built for utility, and oc- -Cupied so surprisingly smail a space in her trunk that it could be found only after a microscopic search. It was a vest-pocket bathing-suit, and was very easy t© wear, ellowing the utmost freedom. . bd ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Mae had this in mind when, at nme thirty that night she suggested a moonlight aquatic party. All but Mama Temple were agreeable, and mama sat on the porch and smiled as Skid, Bert, Jim, and Am came from the house in the order named and went down to the water But when Mae finally emerged from the once and looked at the moon, which grinned at her and seemed to close gne eye slowly. But even mama had to admit that Mae was a pretty picture in a bathing-seit notable for the parts which had not been added ‘to it. “I never saw one made out of a hair- ribben before,” said Skid as he met Mar at the pier. “They wear them at Paim Beach,” re- torted Mae defensively. “Yes; and there was a man smurdered there last season,” said Skid. “I didn't If you can’t swim im that you can’t swim.” After which brilliant interchange Mae plunged mto the lake and Skid sat on the He did not have long to wait. Mae started the performance by diving bensath the surface and upsetting Bert, whose head struck the head of Mr. Baker. After that, both gentleman chased Mae, caught ber, and ducked her beneath the waves. Then Mae insisted on diving from their hands, and then from Jim’s shoulder, to which eminence she must, of course, be assisted by Bert. And Ann paddled im to the pier from her lonely spot in the lake, and sat Gown beside Skid. “ Rather a silly way to utilize perfectly good water,” he observed, with a giance ito Ann’s eyes, In which was reflected an almost overwhelming desire to cruelly mrur- der two or three people who were super- fluous to her scheme of things. “ Disgusting!” snapped Ann. “If it were not for you, Mr. Smith, mama and I should return home to-morrow! ” “Oh, please don’t think of such a thing,” said Skid. “ Jim, you know, has to play the genial host, and Bert really can't help himself. It’s hard to escape Mae, and she cCOmiclbooks CO