Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

QUEEN OF CLUBS, How that phrase soft- Her boy friend! Would she find him ened Carola’s heart. in Elysia? “Oh, that doesn’t matter,” she said, “T came with an old gentleman.” Cassandra laughed loud and long. “ We all do, duckling. They have the price.” ‘“ Are there no young men here?” asked Carola, with a falling face. “Oh, yes, they keep a few tame ones for you to play around with; but you have to be very prudent, duckling, or the payers will get sore.” Well, thank goodness, thought Carola, I can pay for myself. When Carola mounted to the main floor with Breedon at her side, her longing for light and color and gayety was satisfied. Behind the prim fronts of the old houses a beautiful hall had been built which filled the entire plot of ground. It was surround- ed on three sides by a narrow double gal- lery. On the galleries, and under the lower one, the tables were placed, leaving all the center of the floor clear for dancing. “Only place in New York where you’ve got room enough to dance,” remarked Bree- don. ‘“ Costs money at the present valua- tion of real estate.” The place was decorated in a very mod- ern fashion which combined severity of line with the utmost vividness of color. Ceiling, walls, and balcony parapets were painted in lozenges of glowing color like a harlequin suit. The effect was indescribably gay and young. For the convenience of the dancers many little stairways came down from the galleries; but the tables were all served through openings in the wall behind, and the waiters were never in evidence on the floor. The orchestra was playing an in- toxicating air, and a gay hum of talk and laughter filled the air. At the top of the stairway they were received by the proprietor, a gentleman of the most.perfect finish, also his major- domo, scarcely less imposing, and two lesser functionaries. Bowing low, these gentlemen murmured a welcome in such dulcet tones as to make Carola feel like royalty. Then all four led them proudly across 547 the floor to a reserved table in the middle of the right-hand side—the best place in the room, as Carola could see. At this spectacular entrance all conversation ceased and Carola was sensible that every eye in the room was upon her. It took her breath away, rather; but how thrilling to be treated like a queen! They were seated with genuflections. Carola’s sparkling eyes took in the gay scene. There was a something about it— she could hardly put it into words, a sort of release, a letting-go, such as she had never experienced. Ah! this was life! She protested that she couldn’t eat; neverthe- less, various dainty morsels made their ap- pearance, and she found them good; caviare on tiny squares of toast; lobster a la New- burgh in a ramequin; and an ice that was like nectar and ambrosia. A cork popped discreetly in the neighbor- hood, and pale golden bubbles strained up- ward in Carola’s glass. As she sipped, they began to course through her veins. She saw everything through a golden haze. Ah! this was Elysium indeed! Meanwhile speculation was rife at the other tables. Marcus Breedon was known to most of the people present. ‘‘ Who’s the girl with him?” they asked each other. ‘Some class, eh? Looks like a top-notcher, Not much more than a child. A new type for old Mark.” By and by the answer began to fly about from table to table. “It’s Carola Goadby. Carola Goadby! The twenty-million-dollar-baby! No! I have it straight. Carola Goadby!” And some who knew Breedon too well shook their heads and murmured: “ What a pity!” But Carola was happily unconscious of all this. While they ate there was a per- formance of the stage. It was all new to her, and she took it at face value. Old rounders in the vicinity who wondered wearily what they had come to the place for observed her fresh and delighted gaze with envious hearts. Later the orchestra mounted to the stage, leaving the floor clear for dancing. It was a little company of artists under the leader- ship of one who was a master. Carola had never heard such jazz. Her toe began to tap on the floor. Eomilcbooks (E@)