Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

ié THE HOUSE OF THE ECHO. more often—she frowned, with evident ir- ritation. True this anger had not been vented in her speech with him, which, how- - ever, still was curt. He also was more frequently under her eye. Contrary to her former custom, the Echo for some unknown reason now came down from her office, every evening, to in- spect the dining-hall, although she remained but a few minutes. The young musician could not quite ana- lyze his own feelings toward the mistress of the House of the Echo. The fate of Moreno had aroused in him a well-defined horror of her ruthless methods. Yet the Echo herself inspired in him none of the fear with which she seemed to rule others. In: a sense the Echo’s personality attracted him. While fearlessness no doubt was highly commendable, Alan nevertheless perceived the wisdom of mixing with it a deal of cau- tion. Moreno was much on his mind. In fact, as he now picked up his violin and walked toward the corridor, he was so deeply absorbed in wondering what, had happened to the Italian that he failed to notice the- handsome young blond person ‘awaiting him in the hall. But Zelda Carter’s dazzling radiance was not meant to be hidden under the bushel of man’s neglect, as Alan speedily became aware. Zelda seemed arrayed for campaign of conquest; her Junoesque fig- ure glorified by an evening gown of em- broidered turquoise satin, its draping caught up with a handsome rhinestone buckle—not forgetting the effective train en panel. With her complexion of natural- ly high coloring artfully blended; gleaming, spungold hair Marcelle-waved back to the shining mass heaped low on the nape of the neck; with a fullblown rose crimson against the white of a queenly bosom, Zelda was truly present and accounted for. - The young musician saluted with the profound respect.due a masterpiece pro- duced conjointly by nature and _ toilette. “Yeh; a few old rags,” said the girl of the red rose, smilingly acknowledging trib- ute; then, growing suddenly mysterious: “The Echo’s gone back to the office,” she whispered. “It’s safe to chin. Say, 231 ‘if you ain’t got a date on I wish you’d look ‘in on our little’party. Only a.couple of us; quiet little spread.” Beauty of form and feature often com- pensate for lack ofsbea@utysin conversation, aS any wholesomely norma knows. tinctly understood, however, that whatever his superficial interest in Zelda may have ‘been, it was solely his reawakened desire to gain information about the house and its young man dwellers that induced him to accept the in-_ vitation. Moreover, he was engaged to marry Sophia. The secretive manner of the hostess was subtly displeasing to Alan. While she cau- tiously led the way up the stairs, he asked Alan would have wished it dis-* if the Echo objected to Zelda’s giving par- . ties. “Not for some guys, she don’t. But I guess you oughta know it’s hands off where you’re concerned. Watcha doing, kidding me? Ain’t you wise that I can’t even put my peepers on you at dinner— much as I’d like to give you the glad smile 0’ welcome?” “Oh, come now, that’s absurdh"@he re- turned banteringly. “Maybe so; maybe not. Anyhow, I’m not anxious to risk getting what poor Mo- reno got. He was a wonder, too!” The young musician pricked up his ears, and inquired with feigned a ps ‘“What did Moreno get?” “Well” —the handsome fie FE ~ shrugged nervously—“ they found some- thing floating off Delancey Slip that didn’t look like a man, but was—once.” — ‘“ How did they know it was Moreno?” Zelda laughed scornfully. ‘‘ What’s the Bertillon system for? The dicks got you nailed, going or coming—alive or dead— whole or in chunks.” Alan fell into an uneasy silence. He knew now what had happened to Moreno. The moral, applied to his own case, was obvious—and exceedingly § unpleasant. There lacked even the consolation of hav- ing a Bertillon system to identify him. Stepping more lightly but less buoyant in spirit. Alan followed his fair, guide to her room, which was on the third floor. | Luckily for his future peace of mind, he (EOLAMUGE SS .OO (E@)