Dames by Murray Leinster (1944)
A man finds himself swimming in a fog, certain he will drown as a current carries him away from safety. Exhausted, he is rescued by a girl in a power boat. She takes him to her isolated island home, where she tends to her chickens. The man claims to be a G-man who was transporting a prisoner when he was knocked overboard. The girl mentions Butch Traynor, a dangerous man who wants to marry her against her will. As they talk, the girl becomes anxious about Traynor's possible arrival. Traynor arrives, and a confrontation ensues. The man from the water, who is actually an escaped murderer, tries to ally with Traynor, but Traynor attacks him. The girl, initially hostile to Traynor, reveals she wanted him to force her to marry him, proving his love. Traynor, wounded by the girl during the struggle, agrees to marry her. They leave the man on the shore, who realizes he must continue his life as a fugitive. As the couple departs, the man reflects bitterly on the situation, muttering about the complications caused by women.
By Murray Leinster · First published 1944 · Genre: Crime Thriller, Maritime Adventure, Pulp Fiction · 5,497 words
First lines
The Man Swimming In the Fog Found Himself in As Much of / a Fog in Another Matter. Hell -- Dames!
Even before the echoes came, the man felt gloomily certain that he was going to drown. When they did come, the nearest one -- the one on which his hopes were set -- was definitely farther away than it had been. And that meant that it was quite useless to swim. A current was carrying him away from whatever headland echoed the distant steamer's fog-horn.
What this Textopian page supports
Dames is listed on Textopian as a short story by Murray Leinster, dated 1944 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Murray Leinster
- Date: 1944 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Crime Thriller, Maritime Adventure, Pulp Fiction, Suspense, Romantic Suspense
- Length: 5,497 words
- Structure: 1 section, 144 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Dames by Murray Leinster
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Crime Thriller — The narrative centers on criminal elements, an escaped prisoner, and violent confrontations that drive a tense, high-stakes plot.
- Maritime Adventure — The detailed depiction of survival at sea, navigation through fog, and coastal settings underpins the action and environment.
- Pulp Fiction — The brisk, vivid style with hard-edged dialogue and morally ambiguous characters is characteristic of pulp narratives.
- Suspense — A pervasive atmosphere of uncertainty and imminent danger is maintained throughout the story, heightening tension.
Tags
science fiction · adventure · action · vintage · pulp · retro-futurism · feminine · humor · satire · speculative · thriller · exaggerated