The Argosy, Vol. 81, No. 4 — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

702 Lansing suddenly leaned forward and nudged his companion. “By Jove!” he gasped. down there in the slicker? Granger for a million dollars “Ves,” replied Nealis composedly. “She’s bound around Whale Rock for Newport— and, Lansing,” he added, “things don’t look very good for that young lady, in spite of your belief.” Lansing sat back, a prey to mixed emo- tions, his eyes fastened upon the motor- boat until it disappeared. “There was an army Officer in there with her,” he murmured. . “Worse and more of it,” remarked Nealis sententiously. . Allison, who had seen the girl and noted the interest of the two young men, walked back to his vehicle with burning eyes, a smile of triumph upon his dark face. When at length he had followed the pair to the Nealis summer home and had a bit of time at his disposal he placed his car in a garage and sauntered down to the West- ern Union telegraph office, and dashed off a despatch to Griscom, his chief. Having written it he perused it with satisfaction. “You lose,” ran the dispatch. “No. - 31745 and Lansing are in Newport.” “See that girl That’s Miss !? CHAPTER XI. NOT THE TIME FOR LAUGHTER. HE Nealises had a cottage on Bellevue Avenue, not far from the Casino. They were not in the inner circle of Newport so- - ciety, but none the less, had a number of good friends among the substantial _resi- dents of the resort. Young Nealis and Lansing, arriving ip time for luncheon, found the house upset in preparation for a dance in honor of the daughter, Dorothy, a sprightly and beauti- ful girl of nineteen, who ‘greeted the new arrivals with all the enthusiasm of one op- pressed by the fear of lack of men at a Terpsichorean function. “Now, you’ve got to be nice and dance a lot, Stewart,” she warned Lansing. “VYou’ve been cutting under too much in the past year.” Lansing, who once had believed she was one of the few girls in the world, and still admired the radiant creature, smiled agree- ably, declaring that a dance was the one thing he was yearning for. . ment, saw Helen Granger. THE ARGOSY. “And so I am,” he remarked to Nealis as they sat on the veranda after luncheon. “T sort of feel that I am to have a let-down, a breathing space, after all the exciting hap- penings I’ve been through.” Which shows all that we mortals know about the immediate future. The two men, as well as Mr. Nealis, Se- nior, found themselves altogether-in the way, what with the decorators and squads of servants turning things inside out in preparation for the dance, so the three went motoring out beyond Paradise, later stop- ping in at the Casino to watch some of the tennis finals. Topping this off with a din- ner at Berger’s they drifted around to the great cottage in time to dress. | Nealis and Lansing sat in Arnold’s room smoking cigarettes, apparently in no hurry to go below and join the swirling throng. Lansing did not feel himself, if truth be told. The sight of Helen Granger in the motor-boat had depressed him immeasur- ably. “T can’t afford to be mixed up with her any more, Arnold,” he remarked as the two rose to go down-stairs. Nealis, who did not know what his friend was talking about, nodded agreeably. A dance was just ending, and at the foot of the stairs Lansing, to his utter astonish- She was attired in a creamy white gown, its color unbroken save for a dash of dull green in front of the bodice. | Her bare arms and shoulders gleamed in the light and her head was poised like a goddess’s. She was conversing brightly with her partner in the dance just finished, and as Lansing came toward her she _ smiled brightly, dismissed the young fellow at her side with a nod, and advanced to meet Stewart, holding out her hand. “Well, of all things, Mr. Lansing! is delightful!” Lansing’s voice caught. He was rav- ished at the mere sight of her in evening dress. ‘““Aren’t you going to speak to me? You mustn’t hold my hand so long in public,” she laughingly added. “Miss Granger,” Lansing at length man- aged to say, “I wish to speak to you—now. Is there a place where we,can be undis- turbed?” Sy She nodded, as though his request were the most natural thing in the. world. “We might go into the conservatory,” This (e) .OO AMG Sj (E@)