Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

THE ROARING FORTIES. party, greeted Nat that morning like her former self. For the first time since their falling out by the gate, she consented to go driving with him. ‘“Where do you want to go?” he in- quired as they left the hotel. ‘“Take me down to see the Valkyrie off.” ‘“ Damn the Valkyrie!” muttered Nat. “Why, what do you mean? ‘“T am surprised to hear you talk that way, and one of your own ships too. Where else would we go on such a day? I came down to Boston with Uncle Donald to bid our new clipper good-by. She’s our great- est, too. I cannot understand you.” Nat mumbled something to himself, but he turned obediently toward the China docks. For the rest of the drive, Mary out- did herself in her efforts to be sweet and pleasing. By the time he arrived at the pier, Mary’s nlacating efforts had so prevailed that Nat was happier than he had been for weeks. He watched Richard Dunbar at his place of duty on the topgallant forecastle head. He heard with joy the note of the windlass. After the anchor was hove up, he continued to watch with increasing relief until the lofty trucks of the Valkyrie were swallowed up amid the maze of shipping down the harbor. With the Valkyrie at sea, there came for Nat a return of his old days, and his old proprietary manner. He took Mary driving, he took her to ‘the dances. Every Friday he dined at the Willistons’ home, and basked in the sunshine of a prospective mother-in- law. With his old self assurance returning, he ceased to think of the brief nightmare of rivalry. “Ves, everything is in my favor,” he said to himself. “It may have looked bad for a time,-but now it’s only a matter of waiting.” Shortly after the Valkyrie sailed they had a drive out to the North Foreland, on a Saturday picnic. The Foreland was a place that Mary loved. On this day they also took the mother, and Nat had been so considerate that Mary outdid herself to be pleasant to him in return. Mary had always been enraptured with 871, this spot. To-day it appealed to her more wonderfully than ever. ‘““Oh! oh! but isn’t this a perfect place to build a home,” she exclaimed, with a merry outburst, as she and Nat stood to- gether on the high promontory looking sea- ward. Before the week was up, Nat had pur- chased the whole estate around the North Foreland, and commenced to build there a home of his own. When Mary rallied him about this new move, he replied. ‘Don’t’ you think I’m getting grown up enough to live away from my parents, by this time? Then when you picked out a place for me, why of course J simply had to take it. What else could I do?” The ardor with which Nat carried on his new campaign did not pass unobserved. “Looks as if youll have a new wedding soon,’ observed the parson’s wife. ‘Yes, my dear,” replied Dr. Broughton. ‘* And it'll be a good fee for you. The way that Nat keeps company with Mary, and the new home on the Foreland are written in conjunction so plainly that he who runs may read.” All the gossips of Newburyport were put- ting two and two together. Nat, spurred on by the incentive of Richard Dunbar, lost no opportunity to rush affairs with utmost speed. ‘“T guess I was too slow before,” he told himself. ‘ But they won’t find me wasting precious chances again.” The day the news of the arrival of the Valkyrie came to Newburyport, Mary Will- iston was almost beside herself with delight. Up till then she had successfully concealed her feelings by every artful subterfuge, but with this glorious news, the tell tale light of love came back into her eyes. ‘The fastest ship in the world! Oh; Isn’t that wonderful! Isn’t that wonderful! ‘“T knew they’d do it. Just think what a feather this will be in Richard’s cap. ‘“ My, don’t I wish that I could have been there, with them. Four hundred and thirty six miles in one day! The crew who did that are a crew to be proud of. They’d soon make the Alcala pass out of sight, wouldn’t they? My, but it must be great COMIC OOo! (C©