Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

226 For four days and for four nights she had been preparing a welcome for him that would sizzle. And yet, on the very point of tendering it to him hot, as it were, from the griddle, she suddenly felt that her one and overwhelming desire was to swim the stretch of water intervening between herself and the Princess and flay the constable alive and protect Mr. Swift. It was not a question of balked revenge. It was an older emotion than that. In a fever of impatience she waited for the Princess to come alongside. Why was the constable aboard her and how had he gotten there, she asked herself futilely again and again. His presence anywhere was known to be as disastrous as an ill wind. What trouble was her genius in and could she save him? She never paused to be amazed at the thought. Sparks, with one eye on the business of bringing The Princess alonside the pier, kept the other one pinned searchingly upon the jadely dazzling figure of Miss Vail. He had a‘ pretty good idea of about what to expect when he got within reach of her tongue, and a quite definite idea of what to expect if he ever let himself get within reach of her hands, which, he promised him- self, he most certainly wouldn’t unless he lapsed into a trance. ‘“‘Qo-hoo!” called the figure in jade, and then, noting that she had caught Mr. Swift’s attention, ‘‘ What-tha-mawith oo?” ‘“She’s begun,’” groaned Sparks. “ If only she’ll get the worst of it off her chest before we dock, it will save a lot of time.” ‘“* Ar-oonder-rest?” reached his ears. As it had left Miss Vail’s lips it had been “Are you under arrest?” Sparks nodded methodically in the affirmative. He wanted her to go on shouting, to get rid of the bulk of it. “Wait,” shouted Miss Vail, shaking her fist, “ until I get my hands onth-abool!” ‘“‘ She seems a bit peevish this morning,” commented the constable, who had been watching with interest. ‘She is,” said Sparks. like me.” “T could guess that from the way she shook her fist at you.” “She doesn’t ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, ‘“ Beast!” cried Miss Vail, continuing to shake her fist at the constable. ‘“ Brute! Oh, wait till I get you!” ““She’s calling you names,” said the con- stable. “I could make out the words ‘beast ’ and ‘ brute.’ ” “So could I,” muttered Sparks. “‘ They’re the ones she usually uses.” “They say her temper is about as bad as old man Vail’s himself.”’ ‘“* Worse—there’s no comparison.” ‘“‘She’s beginning to hop about. Seems impatient-like. I guess that’s what they call ‘ dancing with rage.’ ”’ “Tf I had a horsewhip with me I’d horse- whip you!” yelled Miss Vail with admirable clarity. “It’s a lucky thing she hasn’t,” said the constable, with greater truth than he knew. “You come down with me and keep her quiet while I make the lines fast,” said Sparks. “I don’t want her in my way.” The constable looked doubtful. “She isn’t sore at you,” continued Sparks. ‘It’s me she’s after.” “All right,” agreed the constable, and stroked his mustache. He had, as he thought, a way with the ladies. Miss Vail, while the Princess slipped quietly alongside, wasted no further time in words. She was husbanding her strength. She sat Atlas on the pier and assumed a position. All she needed was to have a ring roped around her to make the illusion complete. The constable descended the gangway first. He advanced a few steps toward Miss Vail in his politest manner and removed his hat. He managed to get half way through a wish that, for her, the morning would be a good one when Miss Vail leaped. She hurled at her Mr. Swift, as she leaped, the single word “ Fly!” Her Mr. Swift accepted the word as an epithet rather than as a command. Its variety at least was refreshing, and if she was doing what she was doing to the con- stable what in heaven’s fair name, he won- dered, would she do when she passed on to him? The brotherhood of man asserted itself at once and leaping to the pier he reached out and picked Miss Vail off the constable. > COmmicloool< (C@