The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

LOOSING THE TEMPEST. As Joloff had said, it was a question Alma Sanderman could settle, and no one else. It did not even occur to me that the fellow might not keep his promise. I knew he would. Miss Sanderman looked at the man in whose hands seemed to rest the des- tiny of the brother she loved so well, and for a moment I thought she was going to faint. Then, as if taking a firm resolve upon an action, hideous as it might seem, she made two steps toward him, with her hand half outstretched. But before she had reached the fellow, Mark flung himself forward and planted a stinging blow on Joloff’s mouth. He reeled backward, tripped over an outcropping. root, and fell. Blood streamed from his lips, curses welled from his throat. ; “ That,” said Mark, * I will not buy my liberty at the price of my sister’s. You are a dirty hound.” A gurgle came from the islander. He still stood with his arms folded, and I knew he was seething with a murderous desire to get his iron grip on the man again. But I waved my hand at him to keep still. Joloff rose to his feet. He made no attempt to reach Sanderman. He knew the futility of this. He was crest- fallen, raving, bleeding. “ Then,” he said, and his words were thickly uttered, for his lips were now swelling rapidly, “it is a matter for the police of Paris. We will go back to Ravary.” “Lead on,” I put in, taking Mark Sanderman by the arm. “ Your own secret cannot be kept now. Your face is not your fortune. It is your mis- fortune.” ‘But there is always more to fol- low.” Just how it chanced that Ordway felt it necessary to help me escort San- derman, I don’t know. But evidently he did, leaving Alma and the iskander to come after us together. We could hear him speak. He had not rubbed up against the niceties of ‘1S my answer. - 71 civilization in a way that makes it necessary to have secrets. “Then,” he said, “‘ you do not love that man,” | “No, God knows I don’t love him; I fear him,” was the girl’s reply. “ Love me,” then spoke the man who had been lonely for fourteen years. “Love me, and as many like him as I can count will never harm you.” After that not a word was spoken till we reached the cabin door. CHAPTER XXXIV. LEAVING THE ISLAND. SLEEP was out of the question. It was not for that we stopped at the cabin door to let Miss Sanderman re- join her mother. Her mother was out- side, fully dressed, and evidently in great mental distress. With her was Captain Delatouche. A short distance away Gordon Morley was examining the ground for footsteps. ““ Why—here they come now!” ex- claimed Delatouche. His quick eyes riveted themselves on Joloff’s face. ‘There has been some amusement, apparently,” he said. Delatouche did not like Joloff. “Alma!” exclaimed Mrs. Sander- man. Then, all other thoughts were lost—swallowed—drowned. She saw her son. * Mark! your” The mother threw her arms around the young man and kissed him. Then, being a woman, she began to weep. ‘ There is nothing to be sorrowful My boy! Did they find over,’ said Ordway. “ Let us go on to “the cave. Is everybody up, Mr. Mor- ley?” “Everybody is up and about half sane. We saw that you were gone as well as Joloff and your island man, and about a hundred different theories were advanced. We came here, the captain and I, and Mrs. Sanderman was as much exercised as any, when CoOMmicbook CO