The Argosy, August 1914 — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

110 - His steely eyes, beneath lowering, gray eyebrows, challenged his wife and each guest as again they swept round the table. One or two squirmed in confusion; Lord Lastermere nerv- ously sipped from his wine-glass. No- body spoke. “ Professor, my wife, nty friends.” Grelthorpe rattled off the names of _ those present in a jumble. The “ pro- fessor,” leaping to his feet, gave forth a series of ridiculous little bobs of the head. “ Tickled to death, sports!” he said, smirking to right and left. His dirty cheeks, beneath their fringe of hair, glowed with pleasure. “ Say,” he remarked, plucking Grel- thorpe’s sleeve and pointing deliber- ately at Lord Lastermere, “is that a real bonyfidy nobleman? ”’ Grelthorpe nodded in silence. nobleman again sipped wine. “Gee, Copernicus, you’re all to the mustard!”’ chuckled the ragged one. “Once,” he went on, turning to Lord Lastermere, “I was out in China and met a fellow that called himself a lord, but he was a flimflam. He de- ceived my trusting soul, wrung my noble heart, and abruptly left me in the middle of the night with my brand-new suit of pajamas! You wouldn’t do that, would you, my boy?” There was no answer. The speaker looked about, gazing at eachof those at the table with great good humor and interest. “Dave, old boy,” he said presently, “what’s the matter with letting me have oceans of champagne? I[ wish to drink the health of all these lofty individuals.” Grelthorpe made a sign to the-but- ler. While the newcomer’s glass was being filled the assemblage sat without a word, struck mute at the strange scene being enacted before their eyes. The stranger drained his glass at a The gulp. “More!” he muttered. “ Much more! A noble brew, Grelthorpe, old THE ARGOSY. top! Once I stole into the home of a mandarin in Hong-Kong and appro- priated seven bottles of most excellent fizz—but it was inferior to this nectar. “ Incidentally, the mandarin, being a light sleeper, woke up, heard me, bawled out his opinion of me from the top of the stairs, and got one of the bottles between the eyes for his impu- dence. Ha, ha, stirring times! Sure- ly, Grel, old boy, yowll favor me with some rich food.” At another sign from the host one of the servants hastened up with a platter of chicken, from which the other helped himself copiously. Then he tucked a napkin under his. frowsy chin and turned suddenly to his neigh- bor, Mrs. Annandale. : “Who are you?” he asked. - Mrs. Annandale proved herself worthy of the undying gratitude of Grelthorpe by what she did. Looking straight into the questioner’s eyes, she answered with a smile; to her appar- ently it was merely a source of amuse- ment; not a trace did she show of shock or annoyance. Grelthorpe’s eyes telegraphed his appreciation as she said, still smiling: “Tam Mrs. Annandale.” ““A lovely name, musical as the spring breeze in the treetops,’ com- mented her neighbor. ‘‘ How joyous a sound it has—William, the juice!” Again he turned to Mrs. Annandale: ‘“ Prithee, dame, and are you a tip- top swell?” Mrs. Annandale burst into peals of laughter. The ragged one looked critically at her costume. “Reminds me of the garb of the natives of the Nootch-nootch islands,” he volunteered. “Indeed!”’ she smiled; ‘ the natives there wear? ” Nothing.” Her ringing laughter again saved the day. Something like a smile blos- somed on two or three of the stricken < what do -faces about the board. Grrelthorpe, gritting his teeth, forced the semblance of amusement into his own face. At COMMICLOOOKS (C@