All-Story Weekly, March 1, 1919 — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

~ ALL- ST ORY. “WEEKLY. “Thank you,” said Miss Dean. “ Did - you load that plateholder I left with you this morning?” “Yes’m; the five by seven.” “And you have a flash-light?” “"Yes’m. Phil, he works iat he’s a kind of an expert ‘at it” Miss Dean glanced ssprailingly at the assistant. “Tl need Phil for something else,” she said. “I guess you can manage to work the flash yourself. Turn around, Phil, and let me see how you look from the back.” Phil obeyed mechanically. He was a stocky young man of medium height, and he bulked heavily in the gloom. Miss Dean studied him for several seconds and then nodded her head. “T think you'll do very well,” she said. “And now if you’ll bring the camera and 2 = everything else I’ll show you the very ' place.” She led the way through a break in the stone wall and into a patch of woods where the trees were mostly birches. The photo- grapher and his assistant followed stum- blingly in the gloom. “ Here’s where I want you to put the camera,” said Miss Dean, coming to a halt. “We're on an old path, if you’re able to make it out. I’m going to stand over there, by that big birch. I’m to-be in the picture, you see—and Phil, too.” “Who? Me?” exclaimed Phil. “ Tf you please,” she answered. T’ll show you.” Phil stood puzzling when Miss Dean took him by the hand and led him some fifteen feet further along the overgrown path. “ There,” she said. ‘‘ You’re to stand just where I put you. No;. don’t turn around. Your back is going to be toward the camera.” “A picture of my back?” queried Phil. ‘“‘ Also of mine. I shall stand right beside you—so. Keep your head exactly as it is. I shall turn mine sidewise—like thisy” She arranged the group with the swift- ““ Come, ness and certainty of a woman who knows exactly what she wants. Behind them the : — photographer, scarcely visible in the dark, -_was setting up his tripod and making bess 2 a flash. -an order from the darkness. “And now, Phil,” said Miss; Dean, “ put your arm around my waist. es Certainly. 2 Phil peered down into the face of the lady and backed off a yard. She laughed. “Oh, it can’t be as difficult as that,” she exclaimed. ‘“ Come back here. It won’t hurt you.” But Phil hesitated. “Qh, come!” she commanded. “ Are you afraid? Mr. Photographer, will you please tell Phil to put his arm around me?” There was a chuckle from behind them. ‘‘ He’s scared,” said the voice of the pho- tographer. “ He’s gettin’ ready to marry Pete Trimble’s girl, and she keeps a kind of a smart eye on him, ma’am.” ‘“Well, Pete Trimble’s girl isn’t going to see the picture,” said Miss Dean. “ And beside, Phil’s face isn’t going to show; so there isn’t anything for him to worry about. Come along, Phil.” But the photographer’s assistant still hung back. “1 don’t want any trouble, » he muttered. “You won’t have any with me,” said Miss Dean, reassuringly. “Tm thinkin’ of Susie, ma’am.” “Susie won’t know it. Have you never hugged anybody but Susie?”’ Phil coughed. “You go along and help the lady,” came “If she wants a romantic picture, I guess she can have whatever she pays for. It ain’t my business and it ain’t yours. “Don’t stand there gapin’, Phil, as I ex- pect you are, but do as the lady says. Make believe you’re walkin’ with Susie. If you ain’t got gumption enough I’ll do it my- self.” “Thank you,” called Miss Dean. “I’d _ be glad to have you; but you ’re not quite the figure for it.” “TI ain’t much- on luck,” renneeed the photographer, gatlantty. “Phil, if you don’t hug that lady you’re fired.” Phil sighed noisely and stepped slowly back to his place. ‘* Now, Phil,” said the lady, as she seized his arm and drew it about her waist, ‘‘ you hold me so. Keep it there, I tell you!