Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

MOORS END. but looked about for the nearest way down. I found it by slipping on a loose stone and nearly going over into the water myself, but landed instead on a little spur of rock below, where, scrambling over jagged points and tearing my clothes and hands, I finally reached a broad ledge that ran under the face of the cliff directly beneath where I had been sitting. _ Shirley was lying face downward on the short rock grass that lined the ledge, and did not move at my epproach. Had she fainted, or was she too badly hurt to move? In my anxiety I made a jump for the ledge from the rock on which I was standing, slipped, and came down with a bump which > jarred my anatomy—if it did not the rock. “ Shirley!” I called, sitting up and rub- bing my knee, “ are you hurt?” Shirley sat up and looked at me. eyes were a little red and very distant. ‘“‘ No,” she answered calmly. “ Are you? You seem to have been tumbling about a bit.” I fell silent, and could only stare at her with sudden rage. Here I had been eating my heart out for her, and all the time she was just below me, most probably well aware of both my presence and occupa- tion. I had come to the rescue, or so I thought, skinned my knuckles, and nearly broken a leg to get to her, and she calmly proceeded to make me ridiculous. I could restrain myself no longer. “ Shirley,” I burst out, “ I’d like to shake you!” Well, I'd done for myself now.. I had been wallowing in the dust of repentance only ten minutes ago and planning the abject doormat I was going to make of my- self, and my very first speech was the lover- like one I’d just made. In fact, at that moment, I would have liked to revert to my cave-man ancestor and spanked her with a small-sized pine-tree! Why were we always quarreling, and why did I like her all the better for it? Now, I supposed, she would never forgive me. She didn’t seem so very angry, how- ever—in fact, she smiled as though my speech had amused her. _" “Just what have I done now?” she asked. Her 679 ‘““T’ve been looking everywhere for you,” I grumbled, “and then I saw your foot sticking out and was afraid you had fallen down and couldn’t get up. Why didn’t you answer me when I called a little while ago?” “Am I supposed to come at your call?” she inquired still sweetly. I knew the ttle vixen was playing with me and enjoying herself. Well, I wouldn’t get into a rage just to suit her—two could play at that game. ‘Of course, I wanted to see you.” I saw her mouth tighten at my masterful tone, but she said still with ominous gen- tleness: ‘‘ That’s why I came here: to be alone.” I settled myself comfortably back on the rock and riibbed my leg tenderly. ‘“ Then, since we’re all happy, let’s have a _ talk.” A familiar gleam came into her eyes; it wes just the. remark, I knew, to make her thoroughly mad—but I was quite reckless by now. I didn’t suppose she would ever forgive me, but I didn’t intend to let her see that it mattered. To my surprise, she spoke quite amiably. ‘‘ What shall we talk about?” “ Well, for one thing—do you know what Uncle Gregory told me after you left?” She shot me a quick glance. “ No.” ‘He said that he did not intend to leave his money to any one of us It was mean of me, I know, but I could not resist the temptation to see how she, too, would take it. She made an indifferent gesture. “Tm glad that’s settled; I wouldn’t take it, in any case. I suppose you, though, are disappointed. Evidently she didn’t mean to forgive me. ‘“‘ Not altogether,” I returned quietly. “ If you remember, I didn’t intend to take it either.” She colored faintly, and had the — to look ashamed. “I shouldn’t have said that. You were ready to behave like the very soul of honor.” The amend was spoiled for me by a faint tinge of sarcasm. I went on still quietly. ‘The fact remains that we may both have to take the money, after all.” Quo STATE UGOLR ebook