Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

214 things on the way. She insisted that per- sonally she had never wavered for an in- stant in her confidence in him and she totaled the number of times she had been called fool for her pains. Now that he had reappeared, and es- pecially with a full cargo of the coveted material, everything was serene again. She told him he was wonderful. He admitted the fact with an abstract and wholly charm- ing frankness. There had been much to be said, he realized, upon Mr. Vail’s side of the ques- tion, and the hold of the Princess was not, when you came right down to it, the most comfortable sort of place in the world. It was with no small amount of pertur- bation that he slid back the hatch cover and, thinking discretion the better part of valor, begged Miss Vail to poke her head over the edge and take a look below. “Papa!” she cried, catching sight of a swirl of honey colored silk. A resounding roar answered her. “‘ Quick!” she whispered to her genius. “ Put the lid on again. We’ll have to reason with him through a crack.” Sparks hurriedly obeyed. “Papa?” Miss Vail enquired again, plac- ing her lips close to the aperture left by the all but closed hatch cover. ‘‘ Can you hear me?” A growl and a string of fortunately un- intelligible words assured her ee he could hear her very well. . ‘In that case,” she naslamed the advice had become a habit with her, “ keep your— I forgot you were in your pyjamas. Every- thing is a mistake. A misunderstanding on both sides. “Tf you'll promise to cool off and be reasonable about it we'll let you out. If you don’t I guess you can stay there all day. I guess that’s fair enough.” “Tet me,” strangled a voice from the depths, “‘ out.” ‘You promise to be reasonable?” “ Yes,” said the voice, more strangled than ever. “Tift the lid,’ commanded Miss Vail. “T’ll be on hand to soothe him, so you needn’t worry anyway.” “So!” said Mr. Vail, after he had ARGOSY-ALLSTCORY WEEKLY. emerged and seated himself weakly upon the hatch coaming. “So!” “You must admit it was your own fault,” said Sparks. “That shot, young man was a mistake.” “1’m glad, sir, you think so.” “Tt should never have missed you,” con- tinued Mr. Vail nervously clenching his fingers. _ Mr. Vail eyed his offspring coldly. home,” he said. Miss Vail, who was a wise enough lady to know when enough was enough, went. “Now, then, Mr. Victor Swift, you and me have got to talk.” “We have,” Sparks agreed. “In the first place I want it well understood that I can’t have my work interfered with again by sudden whims on your part to go running about after me with a gun. ‘Tt hasn’t occurred to you, perhaps, that this is the sixteenth day since our contract went into effect. -Providing you can figure it out, that leaves only fourteen more before the entire hill must be removed from Coral Isle. It will take three more loads to do it. ““ Every slab that’s aboard her now must be ashore by midnight and the Princess on her way back for more if the job is to be a success—which it is. This is the last time I'll talk to you about it. “I can’t and I won’t have you running about at my heels. Understand that and remember it.” Mr. Vail, who had planned to do the talk- ing, finding his mouth open and nothing coming out of it, hastily closed it. ‘“‘T am taking it for granted,” continued Sparks, “that you are an honorable man and intend to live up to your written and spoken word. Have I or have I not so far lived up to mine?” The beautiful load of more beautiful bery] green coral rock slabs that had so lately been his temporary painful couch shouted, to Mr. Vail, an uncompromising yes. He echoed it weakly. “Then what,” demanded Sparks triumph- antly, “ are you bellyaching about?”’ “Tl tell you just what,” murmured Mr. Vail, considerably subdued. ‘It’s this. 1] “ Go COmMiICoooks (C@