Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

RESURRECTION DAY. 31 to her word, she drank her coffee before she volunteered any more information. But while she drank she studied her host, approving his well-kept hands, his clean- shaven face, his steady gray eyes, the brown hair curling slightly and recently close cut about the. well-formed skull. She set down the coffee cup and laughed, “a low, musical note that Dean liked in- stantly. ‘“I- do congratulate you, Mr. Dean. Your philosophy is shock proof— and I can guess all the questions that are fighting to be asked. I’m sorry I doubted your self-control—” | “Td like to think it a triumph of phil- osophy,” Dean smiled back. ‘“I’d like to think I could come home, as I did last night, and take a—a miracle—for granted that way. But I’m afraid it was less phil- osophy than exhaustion. The storm—if I had been more than half awake—”’ “You need not suffer any longer—but please don’t neglect breakfast. The ham and potatoes are good—they’re from your own stock. You eat, and [’l! talk. It’s an absurd story.” A moment’s pause, with knitted brows, then: ‘‘ I am Marta Kree, a business wom- an, born .in New York and until a month ago, never a hundred miles away from there. Like a great many people who live in New York, I probably never even thought there was a world west of the Hudson River—not until a month ago! Well, I learned rapidly—”’ “ But how—’”’ Dean interrupted. “* Oh, please, let me—” “ And why—” Her smile became mischievous. good, I’ll answer those questions. “ Very How? By-a boat, Mr. Dean. When? Three days since. Why? To be married!” Marta Kree’s eyes danced. ‘“ Now I hope you’re happy!” | - Dean found himself laughing with her. He had not laughed like this for fifteen years. He forgot all his curiosity in the sheer, reasonless enjoyment of laughing and seeing her laugh, hearing her laugh, tasting the heady wine of her companion- ship. “You see how it is? I'll have to tell the story in order if I’m ever going to an- swer you rationally. . I’m trying to give it all to you in the shortest possible time. I owe you that much for. your hospi- tality—”’ “Oh, that—”’ She ignored the interruption. ““T went into business at eighteen— stenographer. By the time I was twenty- five I had climbed to the berth of private secretary, and it was a good berth, too. I have no people living, and my salary was more than enough. I liked the work; I liked responsibility, the chance to use my head once in a while. I worked for a rather successful and very interesting man, George Burchard. Perhaps you’ve heard of—no, of course not, living here alone! “When I was twenty-seven, that was last December, I faced the big question that bothers almost every woman who has taken up business life. A man wanted to marry me. The man is Mr. Burchard, my employer, a decent sort in every way. I think I understand him pretty thoroughly —a thousand times more clearly than -any woman in the home can understand the man who asks to marry her. “There are many good things about George Burchard; more good than bad. He’s a business adventurer, a plunger at times; but he has an anchor of common sense. He will make and lose big stakes before he’s through; but he’ll be decent to the woman he léves—and he loves me. I’m proud to say it. Best of all, the wom- an who marries Burchard is going to see a great deal of the world and the life that goes on in the world—more than most women can hope to see. You don’t mind listening to my heart throbs? Really it belongs to the story—”’ ‘Mind? | Oh, please, Miss Kree!” “Well, the other choice was a sure-thing —business career—income gradually grow- ing—life in a good hotel—a club—eventu- ally I suppose a cat, or dog or parrot, and the usual wind-up that comes to single ladies. A sure thing? Yes, and sure to be lonely before the final curtain! On the other hand, adventure. My philosophy is not like yours, Mr. Dean—I chose adven- ture.” Dean reddened, and she added quickly:; C@ LOOOLK CO