Adventure Magazine Cover — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

840 obscure and corrupt, and an invalid, as you must know, works slowly.” “That is all right, sir,’ retorted Stuart; “if it will take some days, so much the better. Dr. Berwind tells me that, after the experience of last night and my vacci- nation, I must not think of going off into - the wilderness till a few days have elapsed. So if you would let me be present at some of the consultations ae “You shall be our guest on the yacht,”’ said Mr. Lee. ‘‘Nora will be delighted. Berwind, where is Nora?” ‘She is coming in about now from the yacht,” said the Doctor. “She said she would lunch out there, but wanted to come in about three. Her boat can take us back if we go down now.” ‘About three?” said the older man sus- piciously. ‘She isn’t coming in to go to that man’s funeral, is she, eh?”’ ‘She said,” said Berwind gravely, ‘‘it seemed as if some one of us should go— he died so far from home.” Mr. Lee rubbed his nose petulantly, but his voice softened. ‘‘She has a good heart, that girl,” he said. ‘See here, Berwind, you’ve had enough lunch! I want to go off to the yacht at once. We'll miss the launch.” Again his nervous manner was in evidence. ‘‘ We’ll send a couple of men up for the bell and your luggage and your- self, Mr. Stuart. I want to get a really powerful glass on this at once.” He was off into the hall as he was speak- ing and Berwind could merely dash after him with a shouted “See you later!” Stuart had risen, and was standing rather flushed and with his mouth partly open. Then he shrugged his shoulders and sat down. “One sometimes has a chance to accept or refuse an invitation,” he said. BUT the chance was given him fif- teen minutes or so later when he heard the door open behind him, and, turning, he saw Nora enter the room. He rose to his feet with a formal bow, to which she vouchsafed the barest hint of a nod. “Katie,” she said to the cheerful little maid behind her, “go and find out from Haldr whether he knows where the funeral is to be held. I will wait here.” She walked to the window as she spoke, and stood looking out, her back to him. Katie disappeared and closed the door. Adventure Stuart returned silently to his bread and cheese. In spite of the chilling dignity of the girl’s manner, it was impossible, look- ing upon her, to take her seriously. In her short sailor dress of white wool, with her fur coat and cap of knitted silk, she looked like a little girl, Her cheeks were whipped to a crimson by the sea-wind, her hair was roughed in dark curling strands about her face. He leisurely observed her as he went on with his luncheon, and she became aware of it, and of perhaps a certain lack of dig- nity in her position, for she could not deny to her inmost soul that she had come in because she knew that he was there. Katie was longer in returning, however, than even she had anticipated and, realizing that the situation was becoming farcically ridicu- lous, she finally wheeled about, as if with a remark repressed since her entrance. Mark rose and met her look calmly. ‘Your coming is very opportune, Miss Lee,”’ he said. “I was at the moment wondering how I should get a message to your father. He was good enough to ask me to be his guest during the days which the Doctor insists must be spent in this neighborhood. I regret that in the hurry of his departure I did not make him understand that I had declined his invitation. Much as I appre- ciate his cordiality, it is naturally quite im- possible for me to accept. I am sorry he misunderstood me. Will you kindly ex- plain the matter to him when you return to the yacht this afternoon? I will send Oddi down with the bell, so that the men can take it with them to your father when you go.” She glanced fleetingly at it, and, remem- bering she had not until now seen it, he added politely: ‘It is the bell of the Olafsen tower which I bought to-day. Your father wishes to examine it. Pray tell him I am deeply grateful to him for the labor he has undertaken and for his courtesy to me.” If he accented the word courtesy it was no more than human. “I met my father at the wharf,” she said, a fine color in her cheeks. ‘He said you were to join us. I beg you will not change your mind because of any antipathy that exists between us.”’ “T am afraid you do not understand. There is no question of my changing my mind,” he said. ‘‘Your father actually gave me no time toreply. I could not have accepted under any conditions. Perhaps C© MICLOOKS CO