Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

THE ROARING FORTIES. he exclaimed with open mouthed amaze- ment, “and you a girl.” 3 Mary remembered the night on the beach, when she was floundering. To-night he held the reins once more. To-night Richard was the one who was lost, and baffled. He had begun to talk on the way to the squadron float. But now, all talk was clean gone from him. He was merely the obedient deckhand, dumbly carrying out the various commands of his fair skipper. The situation seemed to have gotten too far for the baffled Richard. A few moments before Mary was leaning on his arm, more helpless than any girl, now she was sailing a soaring yacht, more masterful than any boy. A girl like that was far beyond mere sailors, he told himself, and then, as though she read his thoughts, having once estab- lished herself as queen, Mary invited Rich- ard to sit beside her in the stern sheets. At the thrill of contact, all the proud aloofness seemed to go out of Mary with a gasp. “You take the tiller, Richard,” she signed, as she nestled up against him, and in a twinkling, she was merely a little girl once more. Richard’s reticence was hard to conquer. ‘“You’ve got me guessing, to-night, Miss Mary.” “No, just Mary.” This time the word was a command, to be obeyed. ‘« All right, Mary.” “Well, why have I got you guessing?” ‘‘ Because, one minute it seems to me as though we were just a little boy and little girl, and in the next minute you seem so far above me, that I don’t feel right, even in the same boat with you.” In Mary’s eyes, Richard saw the glow of pure admiring love, which Nat Gertridge had once detected there, as a light beyond his kindling. “Well, you’re quite too good for me,” sighed the impulsive Mary. “ Indeed, I think yow’re simply splendid.” The utter incomprehensibility on Rich-+ ard’s face caused Mary to pause before going into further rhapsodies. “What am I?” he exclaimed aghast. “ Vou’re what I’d love to be, a brave 683 man, sailing all over the seas. It’s terrible to be a girl who can’t go further than the harbor.” ‘“T don’t like to hear you talk like that.” “ Because, 1f you were a boy, I couldn’t come to see you.” At this startling divul- gence, Mary promptly recanted. “Well, I’m glad I’m a, girl then. will you always come to see me?” “Tf youll allow me. And even if you won't, after to-night, I believe I’ll still have to come, no matter what you say.” Richard’s eyes were flashing with the old dangerous fire, that fire that Mary loved to see. “You know, when we girls meet the boys we like, we don’t mind so much, even if they do come, when we tell them to go.” ‘But why don’t you mind?” The dangerous dancing light was search- ing in Mary Williston’s blue eyes, but those And eyes remained deeps unfathomable, where ° all thoughts were drowned. After searching in vain for an answer in her baffling eyes, Richard inquired again. “Why don’t you mind?” With a sudden softening, Mary answered: ‘““T suppose, it’s because I love you.” Richard had been making a hopeless mess of steering. Just at this crucial moment, a gust of wind caused the great mainsail to gibe, but Mary was there in time to ward off mishap. When they were safe on the opposite tack, Richard handed over the tiller to her who steered by divine right, while his arm released from duty, was free at last to clasp her to him. “Do you really think you should do that?” inquired Mary. “T’ve stopped thinking,” answered Rich- ard, while the girl snuggled to him with a sigh. “1’m not too bold, am I, Mary? ‘Sometimes we like them bold,” she whispered. The remainder of that voyage was in a realm beyond mere words. All too quickly the evening’s cruise was ended. There was almost a sob in Mary’s voice as she lingered fondly by the gate, at parting. “It was so wonderful. Now it’s so hard ECOMIGIOOKS (S@)