Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIOUS QUEST. again I would feel her hand under my el- bow as she strove to support my ebbing strength. ‘““T want to ask you something,” she said abruptly, as one who has had the question on her mind for a considerable time, “about my father and those boxes.” I was not able to reply, for when we crossed a new summit I could see the muti- neers quite plainly. They were not mak- ing as good time as we were, for all my handicap. We had drawn almost along- side them, and the camp was perhaps a quarter of a mile ahead. When we reached the shelter of the next depression, I came back to her question. ‘““-There’s no need for you to speak about your father or the boxes to me. I’m sure your father is an honest man.” I had con- vinced myself because I loved Langton’s daughter—not from any innate conviction of Langton’s honesty at all. I was, more- over, entirely satisfied with my conviction. I didn’t care if Langton were the thief that circumstances proclaimed; I was with him all the way, if it led inside prison bars, be- cause I could not be otherwise than loyal to her. I never did regret that feeling on my part, and I do not regret it now, al- though when I look back on it, I realize it was entirely lawless. She heard me say this, and she made no verbal comment; but her eyes, which had been fixed on mine during the last few mo- ments, became very bright, and that made me forget the throbbing of my wound. Up to this time I think my motives in helping those two were plain enough. From now on emotion and not reason was in the ascendent. There had been the two pas- sengers and the rest of us before; now there were three of us and the ship’s company; that is as nearly as I can express it. And all because I knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that she believed her lather to be honorable. We had slipped along by a zigzag course, keeping to lower levels for some distance; now we came to a place where we must cross another ridge. We crept up cautious- ly, and as we gained the summit the four mutineers were not more than a hundred yards to the left of us, hurrying along the ) 377 beach; and camp lay twice that distance ahead. They caught sight of us just as I saw them. One of them was pointing at me, and I[ heard his cry; and all four of them started straight toward us on a run. I did not waste time with further looking, but leaped to my feet, and the girl was up beside me in the instant. -We rushed down the next slope, and I could hear their voices more plainly as we climbed the ridge beyond. There did not seem to be a living chance for us. For we raced with death behind us. Now their hoarse breathing was audible. With my sheath knife in my hand, I turned to meet their onslaught. Then my ears were startled by a loud cry, and next I saw Captain Wilson’s head topping a lofty dune. The race was won. If those four had not been craven cowards they would have had us in another second or two; but fighting face to face with their enemies was not to their fancy, even though they were the better armed. Ross appeared beside the skipper on the instant. And the two of us staggered on, to drop all but exhaust- ed into their arms. When I got my breath and glanced round, still expecting to face our pursuers, those over prudent enemies were drawing off down toward the beach. Ross was holding me up, and I saw Lar- son coming on a run. The skipper released the girl in the same moment, as.she asked: ‘“My father?” He pointed toward the camp. We took our stations along the summit of the first dune—we four men who had survived the other honest members of the ship’s roster—and while we watched our enemies I recounted what had happened. What to do now was the question, and that in a good measure depended on what our enemies would attempt. But they seemed content to abide down there on the beach. ‘“They’ve something up their sleeve for to-night,”’ the skipper asserted as dusk be- gan to deepen. ‘‘ Stand by and do the best we can when they start in; that’s all the plan I’m able to propose.” I was assigned guard duty for one of the early watches, and before the night de- scended Miss aneten had dressed my wound. Gomicbooks Cor