Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-29
The Argus Daily Story
The Wreck-By Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau

years visit, Percie Card succumbed at
once to her loneliness and charm. 1t
4 was by no means his first love affatr,
/ but 1t was without doubt his most seri-
/ Gus one.
| The beautiful Miss Lovett. however,
| looked with indifference upon the
young millionaire-upon his extreme
slenderness. his narrow face with its
close placed eyes, sleek hair and rose
bud mouth. like a girls. She disliked
his overdeferential manner. the touch
! of his white spatulate finger tips and,
above all, his effeminacy. Mentally
she wore a picture OF a tall, brown
| faced man, with strong hands, keen
/ blue eyes and a shock OF chestnut hair.
! There was also the memory OF brief.
| blissful betrothal. a quarrel and the
| long ache after the parting. He, the
artist, had sailed for unknown seas
with sketch book and pencil, while she
| had fed home to California as being
| farthest from the scene of her heart
| disaster.
| 1t was at the suggestion Of his so
cial sponsor. Mrs. Arlington, that Per-
| Gle Card planned a cruise on the Har-
| leQuin. It required heroic resolve to
| do this. but the opportunity offered by
long, delightful days on the Pacific
with Alice Lovett, followed by dream
/ full. moonlit, tropical nights, was not
! to be denied, and so 1t was that one
/ fine September morning the long black
| hull of the Harlequin slipped through
/ the Golden Gate and disappeared into
! the enchanted west
| Can you do to- asked Card for the
/ third time.
Captain Alveiro scowled. II must
I think" he said sullenly. 81 must plan
it all out and consider it There is a
risk"
..Bahw scoffed Card ''If you're
afraid. say so, 1 thought you fellows
were fire caters. When it comes right
down TO turning off job-well. say.
| you've got a kindergarten beaten to a
standstill."
"Ah. you think so2" The captains
! slim brown fingers caressed an ugly
| looking knife produced from his tight
| " girted waist. Just the same. sir,
| I'll take my time and think about it.
| Card shifted uneasily IN his seat.
"All right, take your time. old sport"
| he said, with a sickly grin. And as
| for you, Cotton, keep your mouth shut
-savey?" He glared savagely at the
! old seaman.
| Cotton observed a respectful silence,
and AlveirO, who had sheathed his
| knife, turned his somber face TO the
young millionaire Give yourself no
uneasiness, Mr.. Card. It will happen
as you wish-about tomorrow even
| ing or very early the following day"
| His voice dropped to a kissing whis-
per "And the payment Of the money
Il may be assured Of that, sirT'
Sure thing" nodded Card careless
", land II you make a pretty job Of
IT I'll make it twenty-five hundred"
All that night and the next day tho
Harlequin labored in the teeth Of
gale. At nightfall Percie Card report
ed that the men We're exhausted,
propeller shaft was broken and that
the yacht was drifting helplessly at
the mercy of the storm. There was
spare shaft aboard, but under present
conditions no repairs could be made.
He made this announcement to the
three men in the smoking room after
the women had retired.
"Then there is danger?' said Man
nering coolly.
Card laughed nervously. "Of course"
he said abruptly. "If the wind
changes Aiveiro says We'll come out
all right"
Alice Lovett slept little that night
She as well as the rest OF the women
was a good sailor, but the pitching and
lurching OF the yacht prevented repose
of body. while her mind was painfully
active In its FESTIVE unhappiness. That
day she had refused Percie Cards Of
fer Of marriage for the third time, and
his open resentment was unpleasant
She sank into a doze, to be awakened
by an insistent rapping at her door.
Some one was speaking hoarsely.
miss Lovett, get up and dress at once!
We are In great danger, Hurry"
There We're hoarse shouts from the
boat that had been lowered, and Alice
found herself hurried over the side
and passed from one strong arm to
another until she was seated in the
pitching dory. There was a little de-
lay while the boat rose and sank on
the great rollers. Another boat was
being lowered.
Once she raised her voice and called,
Mrs. Arlington, are you safe?" but
the words died out on the gale. She
reached out a hand and felt nothing
save the rough flannel shirt Of sea-
man. Her friends were probably fol-
lowing in another boat.
Before she could think further the
roar Of the breakers drowned even her
thoughts. and for a few moments It
seemed as though animation was sus-
pended while the dory burst through
a booming mountain Of water Sh9
was drenched TO the skin and painting
for breath when. with a suddenness
that was startling. they gllded down
the mountain Of water ard descended
with rush into infinite calm, and ex-
cept for the long swell left by the
-ushine coDnbers the boat glided evenly
under the impetus or the stout armed
oarsmen
A fbfG while mt n gound had haau