Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

THE OLD ROCKS. way around the under side, and gradually over. Then a moment’s wait to give a hand to Little Roary, and 2 was up and off again. The tardy coming of the aa dawn turned the black face of Cape North into © foreboding gray. Red Alec, with pumping lungs and pounding heart, stumbled over yet another of those never ending ledges. Now and again he licked the powdered snow, striving to appease the parching thirst which affects those who climb ardu- ously in cold high altitudes. -His dulled senses had lost all sense of reckoning. It seemed as though he had been through endless night toiling over that insuperable bastion. For the hundredth time he put out his hand to give a boost te his weaker ship-— mate. Little Roary, who had expended his utmost breath, staggered and collapsed. Only Red Alec’s presence prevented him from plunging after the mate into a sailor’s grave. into a cleft of safety, then stood above him panting and spent. < “Td like to lie there beside ye forever,” he muttered wearily; pausing for a breather. But the coming on of dawn brought to mind a steadfast purpose. This was the morning of New Year’s Eve. There remained no further time to pause or rest. Beyond the top of grim Cape North was a longer } The last fifty EE Red Alec negotiated in a burst of speed. At last, with heart and lungs aching from the unheard of strain, he scrambled across the crest, and sprawled out helplessly. Jem MacLean, the lightkeeper, returning from the light to his home, encountered what he thought was a dead man in the driving snow. As he bent over him Red Alec lifted himself up by his elbows. “Where did ye come from, Red Alec?” “Up frae below. I was piled on the cape last night in the Banshee.” “What's that? Ye don’t tell ye come up over the side 0’ Cape North!” exclaimed Jem MacLean, aghast. “ Sure, no living being could ever come up there!”’ ‘“Vea, that’s where I come from.” er had foundered in the hurricane. Red Alec hauled the ‘unconscious aman was ‘the news which set the King of the dance. = 547 “Na wonder ye’re nigh int a “ Aye, Pm all right, Jem. All I’m need- ing is a hand to yer fireside and a swig of good hot rum.” A little later, after he had directed the rescue of Little Roary, Red Alec called on Jem MacLean for yet another tot of rum. ‘“‘ Make her good and able, Jem, fer me journey isna ended yet. I’ve a tryst to keep this verra night.” The New Year’s Ball was on in gay MacNairs. All were abandoned to joyous delight. All except Little Raymond, who listened between the shriek of bagpipes and *the cry of fiddles. Even Ace Bolce was struck by her distracted air. But Ace was supremely happy. He had her, and that was enough. — - That very afternoon the revenue agent gave out how the Banshee had cleared from St. Pierre and had not been sighted since. It was conceded that the smuggling schoon- This Hairlegsers in such high heart. Came the time for the midnight dance. Youth and ardor rushed and jestled. Ace Bolce had been promised this dance with Little Raymond if “some one else” did not come. Ace knew that “ some one else ” would never. come, With the confidence of possession, he ranged himself beside the Tracadie Queen. “My dance, ain’t it?” “Oh, yes; but please do wait.” “Wait! Ain’t I bin waitin’ all this night?” “ But I’m sure I hear a footstep. = Both paused and listened. From with- out there came only the loud high piping of the wind. “Ye thinks ye heard a footstep. Well, there ain’t no footstep, so come on, kid, this dance is mine.” In spite of herself, and almost in tears, Little Raymond was dragged ‘onto. the sanded floor and swallowed up in a whirling reel. | The belated skipper of the Banshee ar- rived at the flood tide of the midnight Through the card room he strode, and straight onto the roaring floor. =-comiebooks-co