Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

_ SKID SMITH, SCHEME SPECIALIST. see in a delicatessen store, kegs or hogs- heads? Do you know how to make angel food cake, Miss Temple?”’ By then they were near the island, and a faint shriek came to them across the waves. Ann gasped, and Jim said some- thing for which he later apologized. Skid grinned and bent to his oars, and in a few moments the boat grounded at the feet of two very damp, indignant week-enders, who sputtered unintelligibly while Jim and Ann stepped ashore. Skid was about to also step ashore, but hesitated when Mae Burke from Dubuque suddenly became coherent. At that time she was within the shelter of Jim Baker’s encircling arm, and Skid was astonished to note that she seemed to belong there. “Oh! O-o-h!” she shrieked. “It wasn’t him, Jim, dear—” and here she pointed to Bert. ‘It was him—” and at this point she signified Skid Smith. Gracious goodness!” said Skid, utterly amazed. ‘“ What in the world is the matter?” : -“ Matter!” said Mae, and left her shel- . ter to face Skid across the gunwale. ‘“‘ Mat- ter! Here you go and try to take from me the one man in the world I ever loved;. and Jim ‘loves me, don’t you, Jim? And we're going to be married—so there!” And at this interesting point she faced Ann. “ You thought you could get him back, didn’t ‘your” she calmly demanded. ‘“ Well, you can’t! He thought he loved you, and Skid framed up this whole party so you would turn against Bert, and then he decided to double-cross Jim and take you himself. It Lv] U 637 was all my fault. I promised Skid to—to vamp Bert, and likewise Jim; and I did it —and I’m sorry, because Jim knows now that he never laved you. He loves me and you can’t have him! I know Skid Smith well enough to bet a steam yacht that he left you just after we did, and that he set our boat adrift himself, feeling sure I’d back him up. Didn’t he leave you?” Ann nodded, and Jim growled, and Bert whispered something which it was just as well no one understood. Then Bert said aloud: ‘“‘ Heaven knows, Mae, what would have happened had you decided not to fall in love with fim. As it is, I have no doubt that in the course of ten or fifteen years Ann will feel it safe to allow me the free- dom of the front yard. Her mother ob- jected mildly, and we were secretly mar- ried two weeks ago, haping to finally per- suade mama that I am, in part, respect- able. Now I’m not so sure. Anyway, all that Jim and I need do now is to quietly murder this Skid Smith with a certain amount of gusto.” Then he and Ann and Mae and Jim turned to face the waters, and four groans floated out to Skid, who was rowing stead- ily into the west in the boat which might have carried them back to the cottage after Skid had been foully done away with. It was thirty minutes later when Skid stepped ashore and set off afoot in the gen- eral direction of Chicago. He was still grinning good-naturedly, and was on the way to his soeiypsecone theatrical engage- ment. , , U. U ROMEO AND JULIET BY ISABEL REDCLIFFE . great their perfect trust and faith, Death turned their loss to gain; They never knew love’s bitterness, Nor. felt its utter pain. But I, who sit alone and weep, Shall never know the: bliss Of living once upon your breast And dying on your kiss! — COMmiclboo S CO