The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. 433 ‘“ We've got to wade across after all,’’ said Thorne, in vexation. ‘‘ But it’s not very wide. ‘That’s one satisfaction.’’ ‘“ Nor very deep ?”’ ‘It doesn’t look so from here. But I’ll go across first and try it.’? ‘“ Indeed Psi not,’’ declared Sydney. ‘‘I am going with you, Mr. Thorne. ’’ So he said no more, but prepared to breast the ‘ood: The water looked black and cold; but it was not deep near shore, so they waded boldly in. Sydney hardly came up to his shoulder and he was waist deep before Thorne began to feel the force of the current against his limbs. ‘“It—it zs deep,’’ she said, with a gasp. ‘ Néver mind. Stick close to me,’’ he returned reassuringly. ‘I can keep my footing in a good deal deeper water than this.’’ He drew her closer to him and encircled her waist with his arm. Thus, bearing her above the flood, he pressed on. ‘he rocks were slippery be- neath his feet ; the treacherous undertow tugged at his limbs ; but he moved on. : They had almost reached the center of the stream when a little cry from Sydney startled him. Heturned his gaze upon the bank before them. A man stood there, staring at them with blazing eyes, and with pale, passion convulsed face. : ‘It is Mr. Monckton—he is alivé!’’ exclaimed Sydney. But her cry, which had drawn Thorne’s gaze momentarily from the cur- rent, was fateful. His next step was unsteady. ‘The rock slipped, and in a breath they were floundering in the water. ‘Thorne struggled despetately to regain his foothold and quickly got his head above the surface again. Syd- ney was choking with the salt water, but otherwise uninjured. To his horror, however, he could not recover his balance on the slippery rocks. Somehow he had stepped beyond his depth and the current was drag- ging him and his precious burden toward the yawning mouth of the tunnel. He turned his agonized face imploringly to the shore. “Help! Quick, if you would save us!’’ he gasped. Monckton heard him. A sort of shudder went through his frame, but he did not move. | ‘‘ For God’s sake !’’ shrieked Thorne, feeling his strength deserting him and the current tightening its hold. ‘‘If you area man, save her!”’ . Then Monckton moved. He staggered down to the margin of the cur- rent. But Thorne and his burden had already swept by the spot. ‘“ Never mind me—save her !’’ was his despairing cry. Monckton ran along the rocky edge of the torrent. Sydney stretched out her arms to him and then, caught by some fitful eddy, she was snatched away from the shore. They both whirled around in the center of the current for an instant and then shot downward into the tunnel. ‘Thorne caught at the ragged rocks past which they were swept. His hand was torn, his arm wrenched. Then the current bore them in toward the side of the tunnel. He seized a point of rock and drew his body half out uponit. But the water, as though (D) EoOmicbooks 5}