The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

430 #. SECRET OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. She looked at him curiously, but said nothing. ‘First of all, here is your workbox,’’ he continued. “‘ Just spread the things out here on the plank until they dry. See: here isa looking glass in the cover of the box—and it didn’t break. I knew that even a lady in a desert land would want a looking glass. And here area lot of little things. There are hairpins among them—a whole box. I know you'll thank me for them. Andacomb. When your hair is dry you can do it upagain. But here are the principal things.’’ He took out the various tins of meats, soup, and fruit, and arranged them along the board. ‘‘ What will you have for supper, Miss Latimer? Take your choice. Now that I am sure we are on the same island that Jessop was cast away upon, I feel relieved oft the score of food supply, for he tells me there are fruit and vegetables here.’’ Then he looked up at her and found that she was crying. | ‘“ Why, what is it ?’’ he exclaimed. ‘‘ I have been rattling on here like a silly pated noodle, and of course you are worried half to death about your father and your own position. I’m a brute!”’ ‘That is not it at all,’’ she declared vehemently. ‘“ What is it, then? ’’ ‘“ Have you done all this for me? And I believed—how could you be so thoughtful, Mr. Thorne? ”’ ‘“ Nonsense !’’ he exclaimed, driving his knife blade into the cover of a tin of soup. ‘‘ Any man would have done the same.”’ ‘“Even my father was not so thoughtful of my welfare,’’ she said gravely. ‘Why did you do it?”’ He looked up, with the knife still poised over the can. ‘Their eyes met. The blood flew to Sydney’s face, and Thorne dropped his gaze. But she did not pursue her inquiry further and there feli a little silence between them. Thorne opened the can and set it down to heat. When it was ready he produced a little folding cup from his pocket, from which she drank her share. ‘The soup seemed to revive her ; but the strain of both mind and body which ‘Thorne had experienced, began to tell on him. Again Sydney noticed the evident pain it caused him to use his left arm. ‘“You are hurt, Mr. Thorne,’’ she said. ‘‘ How did it happen ?’’ He hesitated before replying. He believed Monckton had been his as- sailant; yet it would only hurt her feelings if he told her so. Evidently Captain Latimer had not spoken to her of his own recently formed suspictons in regard to Carter Monckton’s complicity in Atwell’s plot. ‘It was done just as I came up from the cabin with the valise,’’ he said: ‘‘ Something struck me on the arm—and on my head, too. But for- tunately the arm saved the head. I was only knocked senseless for a little while. That is why I did not get to the cutter.”’ ‘“And we thought you and Mr. Monckton were in the long boat,’’ she exclaimed. ‘‘Just before we pushed off, father asked Atwell if the passen- gers were with him, and he said they were.’’ Thorne remained silent. ‘“Let me see your arm,’’ she said. ‘‘It isn’t broken, is it ?’’ ‘“T guess not.’’ (€(0) mn (a) boo CS (E(0)