Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

SOFT MONEY. At the first dancing party quiet and un- assuming frocks were the rule. To-night the ladies brought out the darlings of their wardrobes. Mrs. Potter-Dunlap had ar- rayed herself in all the restored treasures, expecting that she would create a sensation and realizing her expectation. Mrs. Thomas felt called upon to don one of her prettiest and most expensive frocks, and when Gertrude pleaded a head- ache and said she would spend the evening in her stateroom, she laid out for her a beautiful dress of red and gold and exer- cised her parental authority to compel her to don it and accompany her in to dinner. Gertrude was a soul stirring and utterly ravishing picture when she entered the din- ing room in that creation. Howard Camp- bell forgot the consolation of the check for five thousand dollars, and his private views of her meanness of spirit. Rod gazed with all his eyes, as an art lover would for the first time upon Raphael’s Sistine Madonna in its chamber in the Dresden Gallery. Heads turned and twisted, and the hum of conversation stilled for a moment, The girl was apparently unconscious of the sensation she had created. She fol- lowed her mother docilely and sank meekly into her chair at the captain’s table. Her regalness made Rod realize that he was present at the feast without his wed- ding garment. His brown suit was con- spicuous in a room filled with men and women in evening dress. He promised himself to remain far from the part of the ship where the ball was to occur. Yet he felt a sense of pride in the beauty and splendor of the girl he adored, as if he were somehow sharing her triumph. Per- haps he would not go too far away. By standing on the outer rim of the crowd he could see her now and then in the whirl of the dance. Dinner that night was a long and elabor- ate affair, containing many special dishes not ordinarily served. Much wine was be- ing drunk in the dining room. The passen- gers were in a festive mood. As quickly as he could manage it, Rod left Howard half way through his dinner, .and made an inconspicuous exit; not so in- 441 conspicuous, however, that Gertrude did not see him depart. Poor boy, she thought, he probably felt self-conscious because he had no evening clothes. He needn’t, be- cause he was the most attractive man in the room. When dinner was finally over she en- countered Howard, who had planted him- self where he could not very well be over- looked in the upper hallway. ‘““ May I have the pleasure of a dance, this evening?” he demanded. Howard was perfectly willing to be seen on the floor with the belle of the ball even if they could never be anything to each other. “Of course, Mr. Campbell,” she re- sponded with a friendly smile, “‘ and please hunt up Mr. McGarry and tell him I have saved two dances for him, and he is to come for them, positively. I don’t care if he is wearing a brown suit.” “Tl deliver your message,”” Howard de- clared, ‘‘ and he’ll come for them if I have to drag him out by the feet. He’s probably planning to hide behind the smokestack for the entire evening.” “See that he doesn’t.” Howard drew Gertrude out for the first dance and the deck was quickly filled with foxtrotting couples. When he led her back to her mother she was surrounded by young men including several of the ship’s officers. Howard went in search of Rod. He found him in the smoking room drink- ing an after dinner cup of coffee. ‘““T guess you are the white haired boy all right,” Howard began. ‘‘ She says she doesn’t care‘if you do look like a bum, she is saving two dances for you and you are to report and find out when they are.” “Good Lord, man, I can’t push through that crowd and get out on that floor dressed the way I am.” “Tf vou love the girl you ought to be willing to put up with a little embarrass- - ment. She'll probably suffer worse than you do because she can see you and you can’t see yourself.” ‘“‘Tt’s fine of her, isn’t it?” ‘““She’s not a bad sort, but mercenary. You ought to see how quick she turned me. down when she found I didn’t have any money.” — COMMcooolKS,