Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

422 ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. “ Ahoy the Irene!” came Falkens’s deep voice. ‘‘What’s the lay?” cried Mankus. “ Say! Ye ain’t capsized an’ lost our precious boat, have ye?” Falkens answered, <a he had now re- sumed swimming and the splash of water muffled his words. We waited till he grasped the cable and began to climb, drip- ping and exhausted, to our side. I now withdrew into the background to await a more favorable opportunity, but even at this exciting moment when I should have been interested solely in hearing the story that Falkens had to tell, I found my- self watching Dorothy’s face jealously, hop- ing and yet fearing that she would betray by some unguarded look or impulsive ges- ture her real attitude toward Falkens. In fme, there was no longer any dis- guising the fact from myself; I was jealous of Falkens. Again I vowed that, come what might, he should not have her. Scarcely an hour ago I had contemplated his return with comparative calmness; I had even shared Dorothy’s uneasiness at the long delay, and had told myself again that if she loved him I would surrender her with good, grace. But in this last half-hour I had had her to myself—for Mankus no longer counted; her nearness and trustfulness had intoxicated me. ._ I had been her protector and com- panion without a rival. The consciousness that for the time be- ing I was “ cock of the walk ” and the only man on board except her father to whom she could turn had put the fight into me. Henceforth I was in the battle to win and in it to the death. Yet here was a man come up out of the sea to take her from me as I had taken her from Mankus. Here was Falkens dripping with brine, staggering with exhaustion, pale, and in such a pitiable plight that a woman who loved him must surely disclose her feelings with her first words. As Falkens clutched the lower rung of the rail:and dragged himself to the deck, Dorothy took a step toward him and her lips moved. “ Mr. Falkens—you!” she ex- claimed «as she recognized him, her voice faltering with such evident emotion that I clenched my fists. ‘‘ Where—where’s Mr. Letcher?” she gasped, clasping her hands tightly together and holding them toward him supplicatingly: ‘‘ Oh, what has become of him?” — “ Safe,” said-Falkens laconically, pressing the water from his hair, chest, and arms. “Ulmquist took our boat when we were both ashore. We started to swim back, but Letcher gave out. I got him ashore.” Not by look, tone, or movement did he betray disappointment at Dorothy’s eager interest in Letcher. He seemed absolutely proof to her charms as he continued, with quiet assurance: ““He’s now comfortably hidden in the rocks, Miss Gaylord; we must get him in the morning.” “We must get him now,” said Dorothy firmly. ““No, Miss Gaylord. He’s all right; made me promise to rest till daylight. What we must do is to. devise some plan for bringing him “off.” “ How kin we git him without a boat?” demanded Mankus, grinning as if hugely enjoying Letcher’s predicament. “Tt’s got to be done somehow; a raft—” ‘And git a raft out ag’in’ that current? Nix. That there’s the answer to that ques- -tion. I guess Letcher ‘ll have to rustle fer himself. That’s the’ penalty fer the fool stunt of losin’ the only boat we got. I guess you said it was him that done it, eh?” Falkens drew himself up and eyed Man- kus steadily. “I said nothing of the kind, Mr. Mankus. ~For the loss of that boat I take the whole responsibility. It’s gone and that’s the end of it.” “ Well, it was a dern fool stunt anyway,” persisted Mankus. “TI heerd you say this mornin’ you was takin’ Letcher along only to watch the boat. An’ now think of him a hidin’ out there in the rocks all wet! Think of him, doc!’’-he cried explosively, slapping his sides and turning to me. “ Jest think of him, doc!” At this rather brutal remark I advanced toward them, and when Falkens realized the situation he seemed so genuinely glad to find me alive that I felt heartily ashamed of myself. He went to his cabin for a change of clothes and then joined us in the saloon to vs COMIC OOOKS.COM