Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

236 garding her broken shoe. She had not sur- fered a single bruise, he had saved her from the bump which was awaiting her. And so little consideration had he for a lady in distress that he had not even asked her if she were injured. In view of his two previous experiences she could not blame him for refusing to ad- dress her. She should have said something to give him his chance. But a few seconds before she had called him an “ uncouth secretary person.” Then she was hurled into his arms of all people among four hun- dred passengers. There were plenty in sight now. In a few seconds she was surrounded by men and women inquiring anxiously whether she were hurt. One man retrieved the heel of her shoe. The peg which fas- tened the heel had broken clean off. She answered their questions perfunctorily. Why was it that she was encountering this man continually and so strangely? In this case there was no question but that it was a coincidence. He certainly had not been lurking about in wait for her. As he ascended the lower flight of steps he could not have seen her at the top of the main staircase. Fate, or something, was placing him in her path. And as yet they had not exchanged a word. What an unpleasant person he must think her, to have hurried away after such a clever rescue, without waiting for her expressions of gratitude. Probably he thought she would accuse him for a third time of pur- suing her. Oh, it was most exasperating! And she had to thank him. And how could she thank’ a person who evidently intended to keep his distance from her. With the aid of a young woman she hob- bled to her cabin and changed her shoes. She could not help thinking how strong his arms had felt. She weighed one hundred and twenty pounds, and she was coming like a shot from a catapult. Yet he had caught her and sustained the shock with- out a quiver. With one motion he had picked her up and set her on her feet. And then he had fled. Was he interested ‘in her at all, or was it simply a natural feeling of aversion for a vain girl who had misunderstood all his ac- tions? A few days ago she would have said ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. that the opinion of a crude person from the West would have meant nothing in the world to Miss Gertrude Thomas of Boston. She tried to tell herself so now, but she knew that she did care. She did not want him to think that she was a shallow, con- ceited, empty-headed idiot. Mr. Campbell had said Rod hated the sight of her, or something like that. Her resentment flamed against Campbell. What a small, shallow, catty person he was to repeat statements made by his friend or his secretary. At least she knew Camp- bell and she would pay him off for his con- tribution to the situation. : Poor Howard who was trying to clear decks for himself had only heightened her interest in McGarry. CHAPTER XII. ROD GETS HIMSELF ARRESTED. OD’S tribulations: were not yet over. He was walking the deck with hur- ried pace, almost blinded with his emotions. He was afire with the feeling of that girl in his arms. What an exquisite thing she was, and how curious that he should be on hand to save her a bad tumble. His re- sentment against her was strong as ever. He had rejoiced at the chance to rescue her and leave her without a word. And yet he wished that he had spoken, It would have been the decent thing, even to a girl who had treated him as she had done, to have made a polite inquiry. Vain as she undoubtedly was, she could not have misinterpreted that. Now it happened that as Rod paced the deck he passed close to the chair of Mrs. Thomas, and Mrs. Thomas, at that mo- ment, was drinking a cup of bouillon in company with no less a dignitary than Cap- tain Brown who commanded the Durania. The skipper was a red-faced martinet of the old school of British seamen. He had been greatly impressed with Mrs. Thomas at dinner the night before and had paused at her chair as he made his morning rounds, They were discussing other ships, the sea and the degeneration of ocean travel, Gomichooks (E@)