Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

MANY WATERS. 623 ‘ Don’t you suppose, Billy, that I could stand a little ‘ neglect ’ as you call it, when I knew the reason for it?”’ “You think you could,” he said patient- ly, ‘ but you’d grow tired of it, Della. Just think! I won’t have any time for dances or the theater; it’s just got to be straight work for nearly all my waking hours. And that would grow monotonous to you.”’ She thought this over for a moment, then said gravely: “Would I be a burden to you, Billy, while you were working so hard?” ‘““ Never a burden,” he answered prompt- ly, “ only—I might not be able to give the best in me to what I’ve got to accomplish in the next twelve months—and I must do that.” ‘“ But I don’t believe I’d hinder you! I believe I could help you—if you’d let me.” ‘‘ But I don’t want to be helped,” he ob- jected gently. ‘‘ Your part in our life is to be happy.” “ T see,” Della said slowly; “I see.’’ She swung suddenly about to face him squarely. “This plan of yours, for our life, Billy, it—it makes me a kind of Sultan’s favorite, doesn’t it?” - ‘“That’s absurd!” Worthington laughed. There was no amusement in the laugh. It carried a hint of annoyance. Della began to plait and replait the fringed ends of her sash. ‘‘ When father and mother were married,” she said, her eyes intent on the fringe, “ they had no maids. Mother did the marketing and cooking, washed the dishes and did the cleaning. She says she has never since ex- perienced the pride she felt when her first waffles were successful. Father ate four. She told me she saved enough money out of the household allowance to buy her a new frock.” ‘““ Somehow, I can’t visualize your mother making waffles,’ the man laughed. “ She has always seemed such a ‘ point-lace-and- diamonds’ kind of person.” “She is—now,” Della agreed readily. “ The thing I’m trying to show you, though, is that she /elped father.” ‘“ Well, I don’t care for waffles,” he said lightly, then, conscious of his mistake, has- tened his words. ‘‘ Things were altogether different in those days—different and sim- pler. It’s wonderfully brave and sweet of you to want to help me, but I really don’t want to be helped, in that way. I want to do it myself, win out for you without aid of any kind.” ‘Don’t you think I might appreciate our home more if I were allowed to help, even in a very minor way, to acquire it?” ‘No, I don’t. It’s a pretty theory, of course, but in real life—at least, in real life to-day, it isn’t practical. Men must work, you know—”’ ‘“ And women must wait, I suppose,” she misquoted the rest of the line. ‘I won- der, Billy, if the first cavewoman found the first caveman queer and unreasonable? I suppose it’s chivalry that makes men want to bind women hand and foot—lightly, of course, So we won’t be conscious of it.” ‘“{} don’t think chivalry is such a bad thing.” “Chivalry!” she retorted. “It’s 2 kind of mental tear-gas that men use to befuddle our minds. Don’t you suppose that women have always wanted to share burdens with the men they love?” ‘T don’t know and I doubt if there’s any way of finding out,” he replied, annoyed in spite of himself. ‘ You’re tired, Della. Won’t you promise me to go up to Connecti- cut to your people to-morrow? You’ve stayed too long in this heat. And you know I’m leaving for Maine in the morning.” The girl shook her head. “No, I have some things to do that will keep me in town for another week. So you scorn my proposals, do you?” “With indignation. I will not be coercéd into matrimony.” He laughed to hide his growing impatience, then bent down to her averted face. “ Sweet dreams, Della mine. Won’t you try to be patient and understand how I feel about this, dear? You can help me, infinitely, that way.” ‘“T suppose so.” The girl sighed, stood up. ‘ Well, good-by, dear. I’m glad you’re getting away to-morrow. Have a good rest. You might think over what I’ve been say- ing, and—”’ What extraordinary ideas girls had now and then, Billy Worthington told himself as he turned into the avenue and caught GComichbooksrecom