Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

THE COLLISION. ~ “ And alone. I wanted to see you alone.” “So you have said before.” “ Because, you see, there is something in my gratitude which I didn’t want Miss Ray to hear me confess. I am really grate- ful to you. Deeply grateful. You were so kind, and so compassionate. Of course if I had been any other laborer, similarly af- flicted, you would have been the same. I know that. And that is what I wanted to tell you. You can understand that I couldn’t say that with your companion present. You can understand that, can’t you?” He was very anxious to assure her of the impersonal nature of his gratitude. Alicia heard him with an increasing sense of uneasiness. She felt that she ought to resent this overture on the part of a com- mon working man. And yet she didn’t re- sent it. There was something about this young man which forbade her to consider him presumptuous. Yet, she felt, she must be firm. “That is very good of you,” she said. “And I appreciate your gratitude. But it was nothing for me to do. It was neces- sary. You were right when you said that I would have done as much for anybody. It was the thing to do.” “Your friend didn’t think so,” he re- minded her. “T don’t think that you are in a position to pass judgment on that, do you?” **T beg your pardon.” “ Really, Mr. Drayton, it was not right of you to approach me in such a—such a peculiar manner. It’s almost overt. I should have been glad to see you if you had only called in the usual way.” “T did. But there was the butler, and there was Miss Ray. I couldn’t resist the opportunity of making her happy.” “Ves. She is so happy when she is de- fending the family, you know.” “ Now you are becoming personal again.” “Am I? I’m sorry. Of course I’m the most utter stranger to you. I apologize.” “Oh, I didn’t mean to hurt you. But after all, we haven’t known each other very long, have we?” Again she felt that strange sensation which made his stained clothing and labor scarred hands as nothing. 195 ‘Ts there nothing I can tell you about myself?” he suggested. She gazed at the still water in the foun- tain bowl which lay almost at their feet. “There is one thing only about which I have been curious,’’ she said slowly. “ Ask it,” he urged. ‘Is there a widow and—I mean, are you—oh—” “Am I married? Alicia flushed. “Oh, forgive me, Mr. Drayton. I can’t think what made me ask such an intolerable question. You must forget it, Mr. Dray- ton.” She rose. He did not get up immediately, but sat and looked at her with grave eyes. “Yes,” he said seriously. “I will forget it. On one condition.” “J did not anticipate conditions,” she reproved him. He rose and faced her. ‘And that is that you forget my offer to tell you anything about myself.” ““T assure you I had no intention of tak- ing advantage of you.” “T dont think you understand. Con- sidering the circumstances under which we met, and the fact that you and your com- panion have made up your minds as to what manner of man I am; and considering that I am going to come and see you again and again, I think it would be very in- teresting if I allowed you to discover all about me for yourself.” Again he expected indignation, and a cold dismissal. Again she did the unex- pected. ‘““And what,” she asked him, “do you suppose I have decided about you?” ‘“‘T think you have decided that I am one of the unsuccessful, futile men who must ever grub a living from the needs of the class in which you move.” She had turned away from him and taken a step or two toward the edge of the foun- tain pool, and there, gazing upon the lily pads, it seemed to her as though she were bewitched. A further testimony to her en- chantment lay in the fact that now she spoke words which she could not keep back. ‘““T only know,” she said, “‘ that you are a man, and that you work with your hands. Yet I think you should tell me why it is No.” Gomichbooks