Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

86 rific strain ahead of her. Oil-bags hung over her sides, fore and aft. Everything that could carry away had been securely lashed. Thorpe had even gone over the four hatches, driving the wedges about the battens down more firmly. “Perhaps we shall get only the edge of the blow,” Katrina remarked, consolingly, as they pazed out into the dark. “ For the Barbuda’s sake, I hope so. The center of the storm may be far off.” Thorpe turned toward her. He could not see even her silhouette, the black was so impenetrable. He reached out a hand and touched her arm. She did not move, and let his hand remain. When he spoke his voice was unusually gentle. . “Jn case we—in case we get more than the edge of the blow, I’d like you to know how much you’ve done for me. Please let me speak! “IT confess I was in a bad state when I started out on the Barbuda. I’ve lived a narrow sort of life, just working for my own gain. Dare say I was somewhat soured. Then that ‘ Physically unfit’ busi- ness hit me a terrific wallop. I had always thought myself a whole man until then. You can’t quite understand what it meant to me to have those boys coming home from overseas—old pals of mine—asking me had I been at the front! To say I hadn’t been good enough to go—that I’d held a job among the old men and the women at desks—?”’ Katrina placed a quick hand over his. “Don’t!” she said softly. ‘“ What’s the use of thinking of it now? You tried—it isn’t as if you’d been @ coward—” “It hurt!” Thorpe breathed sharply. Katrina patted his hand. “ That’s past. You’ve been—oh, I can’t tell you what you’ve been, here!” ‘ Nothing,” Thorpe replied. been the one—”’ “Please!” There was dismay in the woman’s tone. ‘“Let’s not talk over the past. How about the future? If—if we— live to get back,’? Katrina faltered, “ have you anything to look forward to? Is there any future for you? Or did you burn your bridges behind you?” “ You've ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Thorpe laughed mirthlessly. ‘I wasn’t sober enough to burn any bridges, when-I left. As for finances—I?ve money. That’s what has been the trouble with me, all my life. I’ve had too much money. I never needed to work or to worry. That’s probably why I was as flabby as that re- — cruiting officer told me I was!” “IT wish that recruiting officer could ‘ see: you now! You’ve changed—” Thorpe laughed. “ Yes, I’ve changed.: ~ _— I’ve had to borrow bigger clothes from the slop-chest. I’m growing up!” They were silent for a moment. Katrina said shyly: A a | nb 4 “IT never knew many- . men—closely. When daddy was alive I. was always under his wing. But after he went ”—Thorpe felt her shudder—“ after -: he went, I learned that men were—very. different from what I’d always thought. =e I'd like you to know that you’ve left me with a sweet taste in my mouth—you' ve re | stored my faith in your sex—you’ve been 2 - white man!”’ Thorpe patted her hand. “ Thanks. It’s good to go with that thought.” “We haven’t gone yet! ” Katrina re-— minded him. Thorpe made no answer. He was steady- ing himself and her against the increasing —_ roll of the Barbuda. “ Poor old ship!” he heard the girl mur- ~_ rhur. “ I’ve grown to love her. home!” . | She’s been And then the first squall struck them— -~ struck the two on the.bridge in their faces— and drove further conversation into a cha- otic background. The Victorine, commonly called by her successive crews the Victim, was a low- powered tramp. She was a homeless thing, despite the claim on her stern that she - hailed from Liverpool. At the time of this story she was steaming, eel -deep, from England to Gulf ports. She was about four hundred and eighty miles off Bermuda when the weather changed from calm to a rip-snorter of a gale. The Victorine plowed slowly ahead, while the seas climbed over her decks and cascaded over her house. She emerged from the onslaught, battered but triumphant.. ecomiclooolkks (CO