The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF THE HANDICAP. “ You did right,” I rejoined. Mary’s room was dark save for the rays of the moon that came in at the little window we had cut. This hght rested on her face, which was white and beautiful. I knelt at the side of the bed. “ Mary,” I said softly. She opened her eyes, now scemingly unnaturally large and brilliant, and looked at me. “Mary,” I said, “I have the consent of your father to come to you and tell you that I love you.” A happy smile wreathed her white face, and she placed her hand on mine. “T am so happy now,” she said. “I wished to know that before we die.” And with her hand clasped tightly in my own she went to sleep. CHAPTER XV. A FRESH DISASTER. At dawn I was standing alone, lean- ing against the side of the cabin near Mary’s room, and my thoughts were not as cheerful as the thoughts of a lover ought to be. The sea was still. Not a breath of air had stirred. Lying asleep, weak with the hunger she had imposed upon herself for others, was the girl I loved, and who I now knew loved me. I was helpless to aid her, and the thought of her agony and of our ulti- mate fate almost maddened me. Why could I not live and enjoy the happiness the love of Marv Donaldson would bring me? Why could not a more joyous fate be shown me than to die in mid ocean with a girl who would, if we could live, become my wife? I was rich enough. We had every- thing to live for. Yet here we were, she weak with hunger, and I helpless to aid her, simply waiting for the misery that precedes a death from starvation. Ross was the first to come from the cabin. “This is hell,” he said, looking at the unruffled sea. | “Ross,” I said, “ something must be done. Do you know that Mary Donald- eon is starving to death?” _ “ Eh! ” he said, blinking his eyes. C; OuUgle Zo “Starving to death. We, in our blindness, did not know it. But she has denied herself food that we—strong men—should have that bit more.” The devil!” he exclaimed, and then walked to the other end of the raft and back again. “It must hit you hard, old fellow,” he said. “Hit me hard! all hard ? ” “Yes, God knows it would. don't you know she loves you?” “Yes, I know it now. Her father told me last night.” “T knew it long ago. But I knew vou would not say a word to her while we were in this fix.” “T did, though, last night. She fainted and her father came and told me.” “You did right. DPve talked with Foster about it. We agreed that you two were born for each other. Now, look here, man, we are not going to let Mary Donaldson die of starvation. To- day something must be done.’ If she fainted last might she can’t stand the racket long. Pll give an arm.” “A what?” “lo eat, you know.” Ross was so extravagant as a rule with his jokes that I grew vexed at him for joking under the serious condition that existed. “Haven't you heard of that?” he asked. “ V’ve read of it. A shipwrecked crew helps one another out by ” “Shut up!” I said angrily, and then I walked the length of the raft. I stood a moment looking out at:sea. The kavbees, as hungry as we were, be- gan making a terrific outcry for food. They had not been fed at all during the previous day. “Why not eat a kaybee?” I asked. “Science surely is not so important as human life.” “Not that kind of science,” said Ross, looking contemptuously at the birds. “ But who the deuce could eat ?em? Donaldson says you can’t put a tooth into a piece of the meat.” “T know.’ But when Donaldson tried it he had plenty of better things to eat. I have an idea we could go them.” “ Well, it’s worth a try. We might as Wouldn’t it hit us But GOHMGOOo SS (COL