The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

478 ; THE ARGOSY. “Who are you?’’ she gasped, sitting up with an effort. ‘‘ A friend,’’ said he. I know!” she cried, a look of horror and loathing leaping into her face. ‘‘ You are the thief who came in the boat. You are going to kill net’ ‘“ No, no,’’ he said gently ; ‘‘ you are with friends.’? Vet I knew that her words froze all the manhood in him. But she would not be pacified. ‘You are a bad man!’’ she cried. ‘‘ Will no one save me?”’ He turned rather pale, but after a momentary struggle with the lump in his throat, said : : ‘You must not talk any more now. Let me take you to your room.” ‘‘ No, not with you,’’ she cried, struggling violently. ‘I appeal to these gentlemen.”’ : He got up with a sad, grave smile, and beckoned to me. ‘Take her to my room,’’ he whispered. Gupp and I raised her, and between us we escorted her to Hayling’s room, she directing towards him a parting glance of loathing and horror. “Where are you taking me?’’ she said. ‘‘’This is not the Chung Tong?” ‘No, miss,’’ said Gupp. » ‘Then why am I here?”’ : Gupp explained. ‘‘ The Chung Tong has sailed away, miss.’’ ““Sailed away! Wheream I? How did I come here? ”’ ‘“ Must have fallen overboard,’’ said the man. She looked hard at him in the same confused way. Then of a sudden her memory came back to her. ““I know,”’ she cried. ‘‘ You are the pirates ! ”’ ‘‘ Pray do not distress yourself,’’ I said. ‘‘Some of us are what we could not help being. You shall hear the whole story when you are stronger. In the mean time ae! to believe that you are among those who will do their best to protect you.’ Talking thus, I got her into Hayling’s cabin, and seeing that she was well enough to be left alone, I told her what to do, and then withdrew, dragging Mr. Gupp with me. ““Lord,’’ said he, ‘‘that’s a girl!’’ There was so much admiration in his voice that I had to swing round and look at him. As I did so his eyes met mine, and I at he looked ~ embarrassed. ‘“Yes ; but she won’t have you to thank for rns 4 Bie | don t see it. If it wasn’t for me she wouldn’t be alive now.”’ ‘‘ She might have been better off.’’ ‘You don’t understand gratitude,’’ he snarled. ‘‘ You must be taught.”’ Foreseeing the folly of a further quarrel with him, I merely shook my head and walked aft; for I knew that I was only allowed aboard on suf- ferance, and that my enemies would not neglect the first opportunity of sending me where they sent the Australian liner. Eomicbooks (S@)