Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

QUEEN OF CLUBS. to dance with but their stupid-looking escorts glanced at her with spiteful envy. As the evening wore on the fun became ever faster and more furious. Hundreds of brilliantly colored child’s balloons were re- leased, and were batted around the room in an impromptu game amid shouts of laughter when they burst. Watchman’s rattles and other instruments of torture were dis- tributed in great profusion, and the racket was deafening. Carola, the child who had been sup- pressed all her life, enjoyed it without stint. It was perfect—well, almost perfect; her young men were too lukewarm; under the eyes of Breedon they dared not let them- selves go completely, therefore Carola could not quiet let herself go either. She had not yet found the boy friend. She envied the girl who called herself Cassandra, who was the bright particular star of the maddest party in the room. She finally mounted on the table, and sang to the accompaniment of the orchestra, while her friends joined hands and danced around her. An elderly gentleman adorned with a fool’s cap executed a pas seul with a porten- tous air of gravity in the middle of the floor. Carola learned fast. She was dancing with Jack—it was already Jack and Carola, for such seemed to be the custom; when she saw the romantic Sandro guiding a majestic dowager who danced with determination though her eyes were agonized and her face purple with her exertions. Poor fellow! thought Carola; I suppose that’s how he earns his dinner. She passed so close that she brushed against Sandro, and she dis- tinctly heard him murmur in the dowager’s ear: “ Dance silently warm hand in hand With beating hearts—” At first she was angry; then she laughed at herself. How simple of me to be taken in so easily, she said to herself. The next time Sandro came to claim a dance of her, her smile upon him was dry. Breedon took her away before the party got too much frazzled. Everybody in the room shouted good-by to her as she crossed the floor. How friendly! About ten gentlemen ridiculously decorated with 549 favors struggled to kiss her hand in imita- tion of Sandro, but none could do it like he. Carola tore herself away laughing. Her four swains accompanied her down to the door, each striving to recommend himself to her according to his own style. “Have a good time, Carrie?” asked Breedon, patting her hand, in the car. “Glorious!” sang Carola. ‘I’ve never had such a good time!” “Good work! What you think of the boys?” “T liked them, but there’s something a little unreal about them, isn’t there?”’ “ Exactly!” said Breedon approvingly. ‘““ Wise little head! That’s the way to take life. Enjoy everybody’s act, but never be taken in by it!” Carola was proud of his approval. “Let’s go again to-morrow night,” said Breedon, “ and every night until you tire of i.” “Tl never tire of it!” cried Carola. “T’ve got a whole lifetime of dulness to make up for!” CHAPTER X. CAROLA IS CROWNED. AROLA was never lonely again. Friends seemed to spring up every- where she turned. Such nice people, so anxious to humor her in every way and make things pleasant. She forgot what it was to be crossed; the whole world was full of smiles. Sometimes, just for fun, she would be deliberately willful to try them out. It made no difference; they never ceased their efforts to please, to accommodate themselves to her. I suppose this is very bad for me, Carola would say to herself; but she had no desire to change it. Her house seemed to be full of people all the time. In fact, she sometimes forgot who they were or how they had come there; but they were all charming to her. Merry parties succeeded each other all day long} and half.the night. Life was a continuous rush from one pleasure to another. - In her first interview with Mr. Mitchell Minturn, Carola learned that she had one — Eomichbooks (E)