Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

SOFT would have offered to have his own chair moved. Then we could have declined, and that would have shown him acquainted with the usages of polite society. It’s too bad because he has rather a nice face.” The steward offered two very inferior places against which Mrs. Thomas pro- tested. Gertrude explained. “The man has been annoying you? Why, it’s an outrage. I shall report him to the captain immediately.” ‘“Oh, mother, please don’t do any such thing. I can manage my affairs. But we simply couldn’t sit beside him.” “‘ Most assuredly not. Very well steward, these places will be satisfactory. And it’s so late we might as well dress for dinner. There is no time to sit down.” Accordingly, they retired to their stateroom which was one of the show quarters of the Durania. Rod’s feelings can be easily imagined. Naturally a bit shy, abnormally sensitive, lacking utterly in the form of conceit which makes men assert themselves with women, he was thrown into a fit of despondency, mingled with bitter resentment against the girl who had humiliated him. If there were only some way he could pay this girl back in her own kind, show her as much scorn and contempt as she evidenced for him! He wanted to take his wealth and flaunt it in her face, but he had sense enough to realize that it would make little difference to her. She was obviously reared in the .purple. To lie helpless and supine under her con- tinued slights; it was terrible! The voyage to which he had looked forward with high hopes was already a nightmare. The thought that he was locked up on a vessel with this girl, compelled to see her every now and then, perhaps have her heap further humiliation upon him, was almost unbear- able. He felt like jumping overboard. Per- haps she would be sorry if she knew she had driven him to suicide. He was reading a paper upon which the type was a blur. At this moment Camp- bell dashed up and knocked his hat down over his eyes. Rod sprang to his feet with clenched fist. He glared at Howard with a look which terrified the merry secretary. He almost struck him. MONEY, 229 ‘““What’s the matter, old sobersides?” quavered his friend. ‘“Oh, you go to hell.” He thrust him aside and stalkec off to his cabin. Howard looked after him in blank amazement. “TI wonder what’s biting him?” he queried the empty air. Dinner that night was an unpleasant af- fair. Nearly every man in the dining room, including Howard, wore dinner jackets. Rod had not purchased one because it had not occurred to either him or Howard that they would dress on board the ship. Rod had one brown, and one gray suit, both con- spicuous in an array of bare shoulders and white shirt fronts. He was completely out of sorts and the appearance of the dining saloon made him feel out of place. “T’ve got money enough to own evening clothes. You claim to know everything about such things. Why didn’t you tip me off?” he demanded. “I’m sorry, old man. I always carry mine when I travel, but I have never been on board ship, and I didn’t happen to think they dressed up for grand opera just to get their dinners.” “You are a hell of a secretary.” “ T’d let you wear mine only it won’t fit you.” He was secretly glad of that. Had Howard been caught in such a situation without proper clothes he would have died of shame. With Rod it was only an annoy- ing incident following the affair of the after- noon. This hurt him so that he did not mention. it to Campbell. But after dinner he de- clared that he intended to turn in. Nothing would induce him to face the company in the social halls and smokeroom with the possibility of meeting that girl face to face. The worst of it was that the more he raged at her treatment of him, the more he condemned her cruel and causeless behav-. ior, the more he was attracted by her beauty and obvious charm. He could not put her out of his mind. He lay in his berth, staring at the roof of the cabin, see- ing continually the look of loathing and contempt for himself written upon the most beautiful features in the world. Howard, during this time, was mingling Gomichbooks ¢ (E@)