Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

| RESURRECTION ‘DAY. the simple good taste with which he had used materials at hand. The man showed the soul of an artist. Rugs she shook vigorously out of doors, books were given a Spartan buffeting. Finally everything within reach had been brightened, and she 35 mingled fright and anger in his face was more-shocking than violent profanity, CHAPTER IV. BLUEBEARD’S SECRET. was happy as a little girl playing “‘ house.” . There remained only some objects placed out of reach. Where the sloping roof joined the cabin walls there was a ledge that served also as a sort of shelf. Various things had been stowed away in that snug harbor—antlers, snowshoes, a bundle of otd clothing, a pair of heavy boots, a rucksack, - pails and bundles, a pair of paddles. She was perfectly certain they needed attention, and ambitious to reach them. _- The ledge was out of reach, and she had to drag one of Dean’s home-made chairs against the wall. Balancing precariously on the broad arm of this furniture, she clung with her fingers to the ledge and looked about, wrinkling her nose at the sight of so much dust. She was perfectly sure there must be micé nesting along the rafters. ; : In her eagerness she overbalanced the chair. It-turned over with a crash, and left her, clinging momentarily to the ledge before her fingers slipped and she went down, clawing at the wall as she fell. Violent: collision with the floor dazed her for a moment. Breathless, she found her- self seated awkwardly, sore and shaken, and clutching firmly in one hand a corner of a rug, Dean’s Navaho rug that had been fas- tened to the wall—the rug he had warned her about. Most of the rug had torn away from its _ nails by her grasp. The wall behind it was exposed, and in that wall was a plank door. The door was low, and it looked solid. Marta Kree stared at it with wakening interest. The rug in her hand was proof enough Dean had not meant this door to be seen. She struggled to her feet, conscious of several painful bruises, watching the door intently, as if it might open of its own volition and reveal—what? And then she was aware that the outer door of the cabin had opened to admit its owner. Dean was staring at her, and the ARTA KREE’S first impulse was to explain. Swift upon its heels came - pride, forbidding an explanation. The ac- cident was obvious—and Dean had no busi- ness looking at her that way. She returned his glare challengingly. Dean’s first words were incongruous with his look. He merely said: ‘‘ J knew it must happen,” in a manner of a man resigned to a hard fate. . o '. With the words his face cleared, and h added more gently, “I’m sorry you fell— and I hope you’re not badly hurt!” Marta limped to a chair without answer- ing, avoiding the hand he stretched out to help her. Resolutely she kept her eyes off the door so curiously revealed. Finally she asked: “‘ Why did you say that—that it must happen?” Dean delayed answering to fill and light his pipe. When he spoke it was with a dull bitterness: “‘ There’s such a thing as fate. A man’s destiny is marked out plain for him; like a sailing chart, and he can struggle a lifetime without altering one line or dot upon it. I’ve tried—fifteen years _Dve tried—and I failed. As soon as I saw you I knew I had failed. What brought you here? No fault of mine—” “* Nor of mine,” she said tartly. - “No, nor of yours. A set of circum- Stances, ridiculous circumstances working together, thousands of miles across the con- .tinent, conspired to bring you to this room and to—that.’’ He indicated the door in the wail, still half draped in the dangling rug. - , “But this is nonsense!” Marta was brisk again, anxious to close a meaningless _incident. “ You talk mysteriously about fate and a—a torn rug. I’m sorry I was clumsy. What more can I apologize for?” *“ ‘You need not apologize. If it was fate brought you many thousand miles to this place I am just as ready to believe that fate brought about the accident that tore C@ DOOLK CO