Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

198 Madison 02224. You'll remember the number.” : “Tf I forget everything else I'll re- member.” “Better forget that vamp’s musical comedy.” Hilwin laughed and waved his hand as the taxis drove away. At two the next afternoon he inquired for Miss Duroy at the Giltmore. That lady who was still in bed gave a gurgle of ex- citement when he was announced. She had experience with angels. Many a man who was willing to sprout theatrical wings at one A. M. changed his mind and decided to stay on earth in the cold gray morning. “Don’t let him get away,” she said to the clerk. ‘‘Send him right up. I need him in my business.” “Quit your kidding, Miss Duroy,” laughed the clerk as he hung up. “ The lady is expecting you,” he explained’ to Hilwin. “ You are to go up to her suite, 504.” 3 Miss Duroy was jiggling her telephone receiver excitedly. “Give me Bryant 02289 quick. . Hello. Mr. Rubenstein, please. Is that you, Jake? All right. This is Millie. into a taxi right away. Put the script of ‘Sweetheart Annie’ in your pocket. And try to get Bill Delaney with his music. I’ve hooked @ live one. Honest, this time there’s something doing. I won’t let him get away if I have to dance the ‘ hooch a ma cooch’ for him.” After this she passed into her bathroom and made a swift but efficient toilet. Then wrapping around her a negligée so. beauti-. ful and expensive that it would have fed a family of children for five years, and slipping her bare feet into golden mules, she emerged into her sitting room where Harry had just been ushered by her maid. Seen in the daylight Mildred Duroy wasn’t quite so exquisite as she appeared’ in the candle lights of the Petroushka. But she was still under thirty years old, her eyes and teeth were excellent, her hair was her. own and voluminous, and she boasted one of the most perfect figures in the show business, a figure which the negligée did not entirely conceal. Hop ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Oh, you dear man,” she greeted him. Crossing the room in a few jumps, she treated him to a warm embrace. He did not exactly suffer under this treat- ment, but it made him a little uncom- fortable. | “Now look here, Miss Duroy,” he be- gan, when she had released him and he had collapsed into a big armchair a few feet away. “I like you, and all that, but I’m not here to talk business because I’ve fallen in love with you. If this is a good shew and the prospects are good I’m interested. If not, I’m not. And while I wouldn’t want a better vamp than you if I wanted to be vamped, I’m only interested in the business side of the affair. You don’t have to be nice to me to make me buy into a really good show.” “Oh, but Harry,” she exclaimed with a pout. “It isn’t that at all. Long before we talked about the show last night I was interested in you. I thought you were the best looking fellow there and I gave the chap who brought me the shake.” «Well, I like you too, but this is busi- ness.’’ *“* And don’t you love me a teeny weeny bit?” she asked drawing her chair toward him. “ft guess I love you about as much as you love me. And I wish you’d get dressed. Suppose somebody came in and caught us.” “You're an idiot,” snapped Miss Duroy, expressing her true opinion for once. “ The people coming are friends of mine. How- ever, if it will make you feel better I’ll finish my toilet. You'll find a copy of ‘Our Dumb Animals’ to read.’ “Where?” asked Hilwin innocently. “Ye gods,” remarked Miss Duroy, and vanished into her bedroom. ““Guess I’m being kidded,” grinned Hil- win. ‘TI hope the manager and the author won’t kiss me when they come in.” _ Five minutes after she had entered her bedroom her ’phone tinkled again. It was > Mr. Rubenstein. | “Come to my bedroom door, Jake. I want to see you before I introduce you to the angel,” she said in a low voice. When Jake arrived, acco ied GCOMIGERVOOKS Mr. com