Argosy: The Short Story Magazine — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

| Se Se eee, ee ee I ak tie go DAVID BEATY dressed in a grey lounge suit. Going downstairs, he saw the dining- room was locked. Bates was having a drink at the bar. “ Hullo, Skipper. Will you have one? ” * Not yet, thanks. I’ve missed dinner.”’ ** Have you tried the kitchen? ” “No. They’ll probably have gone home by now. It’s my own damn fault.”” He was just about to ask Bates if he had any news of the tramp steamer, when the head waiter came up. “‘ Captain Kelston. We did not see you at dinner? ” c¢ No.”’ ‘<'This way, then, please.’’ ~The man pointed towards the dining- room. He was all smiles. *“ Don’t bother. I’m very late.” * No trouble. No trouble.” Kelston was escorted to the door of the Sala de Jantar. The head waiter unlocked it, and the pilot found himself seated at a table, the only guest in the empty dining-room. He was not used to such deferential treatment and wondered vaguely at the reason for it. ‘The head waiter himself served him, helped by two others. When roast chicken appeared, he was presented with a bottle of Madeira, “‘ with the compliments of the management.”’ Knowing that the Carreras was always on the edge of bankruptcy and there- fore practised a not unreasonable parsimoniousness, Kelston won- dered still further. ? *“Mr. Olivarez phoned, asking for you,” the head waiter said. * Olivarez? Who’s he? ” “The shipowner. Olivarez owns the Santa Lucinda.” ““Have you any news of her, then? ”’ “Of course. ‘The tugs found her. They have her in tow.” Kelston felt an immense relief surge over him. ‘‘ So she has a good chance? ”’ | ‘““T think so.” Then the head waiter added shyly, ‘‘ I have a brother on board her. Our youngest, Pedro. And he,”’ pointing to the waiter who was filling up Kelston’s glass, ‘‘ he has a cousin on her.”’ *“ Quite a family affair.” *“* We Portuguese,”’ the head waiter said, “‘ we have large families. Nearly everyone in Ponta Delgada has a connection somewhere with the Santa Lucinda.” Kelston drank up the glass of Madeira. ‘‘ That was very nice. Thank you for letting me have it so late,” he said. “You will not forget to telephone Mr. Olivarez, will you, sir? ” “No, I shan’t. They’ll have his number at the desk? ”’ ‘“ Yes, sir.’ There was the same deference at the hotel desk. The clerk insisted on getting Olivarez for him. A tired voice said in careful English, “‘ We owe a lot to you, Captain. I was wondering whether you would care to watch her come in? ” “1 would very much. When? ” ‘*“ It depends on the weather. These meteorologists— ” Olivarez lapsed into some ferocious Portuguese. ‘“‘ Anyway, they think the commcoooks.comn)