Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

~ ae her with amazing speed. “] believe she’s slowed down,” McGee stated. “It’s her all right—answers the description to a dot!” Ten minutes later McGee ordered half then slow ahead. They were along- side the Yung Swei. Not more than three hundred yards of water separated them; water that was now glittering in the sun. At that moment a seaman handed Mac- Tavern the message from Fang Wu. McGee was speaking into the phone: “ Yes, first one shot across her bows, then train the port batteries directly on her. Make ready to lower the boats. You can fire when—”’ “ Stop—McGee, stop! Don’t fire—don’t —I—here! Read that!” McGee read the message. 3 Well,” he said, “ MacTavern, it’s up to you.” “We will do”—the words came from MacTavern like so much bitter dust— “exactly as he says. He’s got me, McGee —because he’s got my little girl.” “Three people floating astern the Yung Swei!” the voice from the lookout called sharply. “Two men, and a girl—making signals to us, sir!” MacTavern grabbed the binoculars. “Tt’s Mary! She’s saved—saved, I tell you! Put out a boat to—” The words froze on his lips. He clutched McGee’s arm, and pointed to the stern of the Yung Swei. A solitary figure stood there, well braced against the rolling of the vessel. He held a rifle and was sighting it, with infinite care and precision, upon the head of the girl, floating now several hundred yards astern. In a single leap McGee reached the telephone. THE ; U U DIRTY WEATHER. Eight streaks of fire. A indtenltad ae pendous, roaring crash. The port batteries of the Western State had spoken. Great, bellowing waves of smoke rolled slowly away, curving fantastically off to southward across the waves—waves that were unbroken, save for the floating wreck- age of the thing that had once been the Yung Swei—save for the three heads still bobbing safely, now far astern, and the well-manned skiff from the Western State that was pulling for them. For one frightened moment after the Western State had fired, Miss MacTavern had clung to Rutledge; then she had re- sumed her easy floating at his side. “Do you know something, Peter?” she said. “What? I wish you wouldn’t make me talk. The water gets in my mouth.” “You are saving my life.” “What of it?” “ T’m glad you admit it this time, and I’m going to give you something for it.” He looked at her. Her face was within six inches of his own. Ribbons of wet hair streamed all over it. “You look a sight,” he said. “I’m going to give you something for it, Peter.” “T won’t take it.” “Then you can give it back to me again —even if you like it.” She moved her face a precise six inches, and kissed him full upon the mouth. “ You little ginger-headed dev—glub—” A pint or two of salt water checked him for a moment. He took a cautious at Sparks who, scandalized, had dived to the privacy of another wave. in Then he gave it back. END. U U ‘THE 154TH NOVEL, ORIGINALLY PRINTED SERIALLY IN THIS MAGA .. ZINE, TO BE PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM IS ate WHISPERING SAGE se By HARRY SINCLAIR DRAGO and JOSEPH NOEL |