Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

DINNER FOR CYNTHIA. whether I ought to tell you this or not— she said that if you’d take the piano end of some joint recital she’s giving for seventy-five dollars, she’d love to have you do it. I—say, honey!” Nora laughed wildly. ‘I told her that, so far as I knew, you’d never played a recital for less than a hundred, and it was the truth! I said Id do what I could with you, though.” And here there was a gasp, and tears of joy seemed to be clogging Nora’s utterance. “Hustle, Cynthia, so I can tell you all about it. You don’t have to crash any more dinners now!” The victim of weird circumstances stead- ied her voice as well as might be. ‘““ That—that’s what I called up to tell you,” she said. “I’m staying here for— for a little while.’ “Where? At the Ronalds house?” Yes!” “How long?” “ Well—overnight, anyway,” said Cyn- thia. “Over night?’’ demanded her cousin in quick astonishment. ‘‘ What for?” “‘ Well—you see, these—these delightful people simply insist on my being their guest for a while, Nora. Yes, really!” “Ts the boy there—Neville?” Nora snapped. ‘‘ Because I’ve heard of the way he makes an impression on some susceptible females, kid, and I’m hanged if T’ll—” ‘‘ But he—he isn’t here!”’ ‘Then why in thunder are you staying?” ‘“ Because they—they just won’t take no for an answer!” said Cynthia. There was a brief pause. “YT think you’d better come home now, kid!” said Nora. ‘ That sounds funny to me.”’ “ But it isn’t! funny about it.” *T know, but you’ve never even seen these people before,’ argued Cynthia’s cou- sin. ‘‘ What’s the answer, honey? Fossil- ized family captivated by your beauty?” “Why, perhaps, but—” Cynthia began; and a mighty impulse swept down upon her. If in a few swift phrases she told Nora the simple truth, before Mrs. Stone could cross the room and try stopping the words, if—Cynthia glanced at Mrs. Stone very There’s—there’s nothing quickly. She glanced; she caught that lady’s remarkable eyes, fixed upon her as steadily and relentlessly as the eyes of any snake; she wilted—and the impulse swept on about its other concerns! ‘‘ They—they just want me to stay and I—why, I’d love — to stay!’”’ Cynthia exploded! ‘“‘ Yes, I real- ly must stay!” “Well, I don’t like it a little bit, some- how,’ Nora muttered. “It seems mighty peculiar to me, Cynthia. It—of course, you're grown up and your own mistress and all that, but—” “Oh, it’s quite all right!” Cynthia laughed strangely, for even yet she had not managed to drag her eyes from Mrs. Stone. ‘“‘ Well—get home pretty early in the morning, kid,” Nora said, reluctantly. “Mrs. Wolfert’s going to a luncheon and she wants to see you before she starts. And Z wanted to see you and tell you about all the luck we’ve had!” “Well, just as soon as I get—get home—” Cynthia said, not so steadily. ‘“ Good night, Nora.” “ Good—night, honey!” said Nora. “Settled?” Mrs. Stone queried, amiably. ees “Good enough! Now come over and sit beside me, my dear, and—eh? Answer that confounded phone, child. If it’s for me, say that I’ve gone to bed.” The younger Miss Blair picked up the instrument rather tremulously. It was Nora, of course, calling back to insist that her cousin return that night and—although ‘t wasn’t Nora, was it? Tewner’s voice spoke: “ Miss Blair, is it, if you please?” “ It—it is!” “ There’s a party calling for you, Miss - Blair. A Mr. Brander!” said Towner. “* Just a moment, please.”’ CHAPTER IX. - ENGAGEMENTS. i ELLO?” said another, and beloved, Hi voice. “ Cynthia?” : Yes!” choked Cynthia. “ Bill speaking! of course. Haven’t a second—just sneaked gS) LC] 395 Dearest, I’m next door, ~ Fcomicboo - (E@)