Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

382 “Her wardrobe?” questioned Captain Lang, mystified. “Yes. We had an idea that she might not have had her luggage sent on board. On the chance that my sister may not have left any clothing in there, we selected some things from our own that may prove more or less useful.” He and the doctor exchanged laughing glances. They each had a.vision 6f the young stowaway walking the deck of the Psyche clad in the doctor’s white duck uniform. ‘“What’s to become of her when we get to Brazil?” worried the skipper. -“ We'll call her the daughter of Psyche, which is a mythological compliment that she doesn’t deserve, since the doctor says she is ugly. Then we’ll place her in some _ kindergarten, and each of us take a father- ly interest in her. She’s just as good mate- rial as a Belgian orphan. My sister has taken several of them.” The captain laughed m spite of his thwarted wish for a serious discussion. “T guess she’s past the kindergarten age.” “Oh, well, perhaps she has some plans of her own that we can help her to carry out. The fair sex usually do have plans.” Stephen grinned naively. “Perhaps she’s a spy,” contributed the doctor, as he lighted a cigar. ‘‘ Or she may have committed some crime, and is fleeing from justice.” “Your experience in France has evident- ly succeeded in making you morbid,” scoffed Stephen. “ Oh, perhaps it is the tafttienice of the sea. There i is something about the sea that lends wings to one’s imagination.” The captain had vanished long before this, despairing of getting any serious dis- cussion out of either of them. A few min- utes later he bent over Judith, who was just waking from her long sleep. “ Awake, are you?” he queried kindly. “Vou are to be moved to more comfortable quarters soon.” He crossed the room, and returned witha bowl of broth, which he held for her as she drank it. “ You lie here now and I'll be back in a few minutes,” he told her, and went out. the captain kindly. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, Judith felt her bandaged head, took gen- eral stock of herself for a moment, and dis- covered quite to her surprise that she felt little the worse for her night of wakefulness and its attendant emotional strain. She glanced around. The captain’s suite was a snug place done in brown leather and weathered oak. Through the wide-flung portholes she caught a glimpse of blue sea. The sun was shining upon it, and the ruddy reflection danced i in the little wavelets upon the dull polished wood of the walls and ceil- ing. She could hear the subdued purr of the engines. She settled back among the Minis with a feeling of almost happiness, at least of present content. The rhythmic velvety purr of the engines seemed whispering to her that with each revolution of the wheels she was being carried farther and farther - from the old life, and the things she ab- horred. A shudder traversed her body as she wondered if the police had found old Peter yet, and if they had accused her of the mur- der. The police and the river folk knew that she and the old man were always at swords’ points; he would be found dead, she would have vanished; there would be a. definite case of circumstantial evidence against her. Judith had arrived at this point in her mental journey when Captain Lang re- turned. He was startled by the brilliancy of her eyes, the color in her cheeks. She was going to have a fever as sure as fate, he told himself. “Can you walk all right?” he asked, bending over her solicitously. Judith was not sure. She sat up. She felt a trifle giddy, but she pushed away the blanket and rose to her feet. ‘* Need some help?” asked the captain. ac No. 9 She shook her' bandaged head slowly as she took a few unsteady steps. Then, as she became accustomed to the gentle mo- tion of the craft she stood firmly, a tall, slender, grotesque figure, in the center of the cabin. ‘““’You seem to be all right,” encouraged “Come with me now.” Judith followed slowly the short, stout com choo cS) COL