Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

X46 astonishment at the spectacle of Roger Bas- sett and Anne Parsons playing singles to- gether. The gasp which followed this dis- covery quickly took verbal form and the volume of chatter increased to a roar when, three days later, the two were seen motor- ing along the mountain roads in a shiny new roadster which Roger had hastily ac- quired. The head wagging and murmured * At lasts ” multiplied. The bunch at Pinecliff was cautious at first about spoofing their companion. It was a question as to how he would receive gibes on the subject. But when Tod Jes- sup ventured, ‘‘ Gee, Roger, I’m glad to see you go human at last,”’ Roger only grinned sheepishly and they knew it was all right. They would have been convinced, indeed, that matters were all right if they could have seen Roger and Anne together on a certain brilliant afternoon some four weeks after their first meeting—if they could have witnessed a picnic lunch which the two were sharing on a sun-washed ledge overlooking a bright lake, miles away from everything. If they could have done so they would have beheld Roger, his heart in his eyes, following eagerly every movement of the girl as she busied herself with the arrange- ment of the repast on the gleaming white cloth. And on her glowing face they could have seen written adoration—a longing adoration which any one of a score of men would have given the world to see, had he been its object. They would have mar- veled at Roger’s restraint when it was so flagrantly obvious that he need only speak a word to win Anne Parsons. But Roger, unversed in the complex game of love, was not so sure. He had been overwhelmed by something bigger than him- self, something which defied the analysis he had tried to apply. And he had yielded because it was so glorious. He didn’t care what the consequences might be; he did not even consider that there might be consequences. He wanted Anne as he had not dreamed it would be possible to want anybody or anything in the world. He must be perfectly certain that she wanted him before he risked a show- down—that was the way he reasoned it. Only the aching love, the love which was to ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. him as food to a man long starvec, made it so very hard to wait. But, with Anne so completely worshipful that the whole world could read it in her face, it was inevitable that Roger should come soon to realize that the ground under his feet was firm indeed. When he did realize that, he was quick to act. What was in his heart had been pent up too long. Also the opportunity was at hand. VII. At the end of the rose garden of the Rockledge Club stood a roomy summer house, vine-clad and sequestered. From the rear of this structure one could look down into the green depths of a steep-walled ra- vine and across to the purple summits of the gaunt mountains stretching away into the north. The furniture was of wicker and consisted of a few chairs, a wide settee and a center table. To this spot Roger and Anne had come on an afternoon when the entire member-_ ship of the club was following the work of a professional around the links. Both the man and the girl seemed to feel that some- thing was imminent. They had passed up golf with a sort of tacit understanding, with- out discussing the matter and had strolled off into the garden, gravitating naturally toward the summer house. There was an electric quality in the atmosphere which both felt and they walked in silence. Anne stood for a minute or two, gazing out through the frame of rambling vines to the distant hills; Roger, at her shoulder, looked at Anne. He knew that his hour had come. Her silence was eloquent and he felt her waiting for him to speak. His heart was a turmoil; all that he felt— had felt for weeks—was struggling for ex- pression. He was shaken by the fierce waves of emotion than ran through him. He looked at the pink curve of her cheeks, at her slim, round arms, at the soft line of her throat, with nothing short of reverence. He wanted to tell her what he knew he must tell her, but there were no words which could express the love that was in his heart. Presently Anne sighed, slowly turned and sank into a deep chair. EO 1A@OO () SS Co