The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

T2 she found Miss Sanderman was away. What could we think? There was nothing to do but wait.” “The waiting is almost over,” I said. “ Here is Sanderman. He will go back with us to Paris. Now, as Mrs. Sanderman is dressed, let us get on to the cave. The sooner we get to Paris now the better.” We trooped on to the cave. It so happened that Delatouche and Gor- don Morley were on either side of me as we approached it. “Tell me,” said Delatouche. ‘‘ What happened to Joloff? ” “He had his life saved by a woman.”’ “You speak like a fable-monger. What happened?” “Well, the gentle and lonely islander had him up in the air the same as he had Ravary, only Ravary landed in water. front of a big rock. In one second he would have been smashed to a jelly.” “And Miss Sanderman saved him? How? For Heaven’s sake, let us know how a woman could stay that—that tempest? ” “She put her arm around his neck and said ‘ Please don’t.’ ”’ Gordon Morley’s lips twitched. “Ts that all?’ queried Delatouche. “That’s all. Her ‘please don’t’ was far more powerful than all the guns you have, Delatouche, on the Vigilante.” “T believe it. now.” Ravary was walking up and down before the cave. Collins was there, evidently disturbed in mind, since he had been of absolutely no use since he left the embassy. The inspector of police stood still and stared. Mark Sanderman re- leased himself from his mother’s arms, and walked toward the inspector. ~ “T surrender,” he said. “ Inspector Ravary, I will go to Paris with you.” Ravary seemed about to have an at- tack of apoplexy. Delatouche grinned. “You see,” said the commander of the Vigilante, turning to Gordon Mor- He looks like a lamb Joloff’s destination was the- THE ARGOSY. ley, “‘ this is not the way things go in a play. The inspector has what he wanted, what he came for, what a war-ship was sent here at the expense of France to get. But Ravary didn’t do it himself. It is like a man with a fine new gun aiming at adeer. Before he pulls the trigger the deer walks up to him and says: ‘Don’t shoot; I’m here. Take me.’ ” Delatouche seemed to be having about all the fun there was in the mat- ter. Sanderman was downcast, AlI- ma’s eyes were red, and Mrs. Sander- man kept her handkerchief sopping tears. Gordon Morley appeared re- lieved, and Lord Dulmondy was the most bored man on seven seas. “TI say,” he finally managed to get out, “if we have nothing to stay for, what are we staying for?”’ Delatouche laughed again. A French- man—the right kind of a Frenchman —can see something to laugh at, and his laugh will ease almost any: situa- tion. Even the grim face of Ravary relaxed. “It’s breakfast-time,” said Ordway. “Tt is not a question if we eat. But where we eat. We have a goose that Donaldson has spent hours plucking.” “Don’t ask me to eat that goose,” said Alma Sanderman. “ Why, he put the feathers back to pluck the poor thing all over again. Didn’t you, now, Robinson Crusoe? ”’ An expansive smile lit up the island- er’s face. “You call me that, but they wouldn't. They made my first name Crusoe.” “Well, you are not a man to steal another’s name. I am sure they did the best they could. Mama, please don’t cry any more. Even Mark is calmer than you.” “Well,” wept Mrs. Sanderman, “ he hasn’t a mother’s heart.” ‘““ Physiologically,” remarked Gor- don Morley, “that is correct. But let us get down to the main question. We are all.bound for Paris, and we have two boats to go in. Now, who goes in the cruiser and who goes with me?” CoOMmicbook CO