The Argosy, March 1907 — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

Ge A AR COST. Pe: His chest swelled as he looked at it. “Say, it’s great of, you, Henrietta, to frame up that face of mine in such style, Never saw a frame like that before.” ‘Guess you haven’t. I tramped all over Travers before I was able to find just what suited me. Do you like it?” “Like it? Why, I’m tickled to death. It goes great with the background of the photograph, doesn’t it? You couldn’t have selected a more appropriate frame.”’ “Well, you needn’t think you are the only one on earth who possesses some artistic taste,” she retorted, with mock asperity, slapping a varied- hued sofa- pillow into an unconventional. shape. ‘“T haven’t studied art at home or abroad, as you have, but I know what is pretty, just the same.” “I have never said you didn’t, my dear,” replied Dunning, at the same time thoughtlessly flopping himself down on the pillow she had been arranging with such care, though still retaining the framed picture. ‘And this little act proves that I have been right in not saying so. Even I couldn’t have -done _ better.” “My, how complimentary! ”’ “This was the last picture of this kind I had ‘Gave all the rest to other girls, I suppose?’’ interrupted Henrietta, tilting her head to one side and allowing her voice to ascend interrogatively. “Well,” replied Dunning, with a tan- talizing smile, “ you don’t suppose I had them taken to—er—put in storage, did you?” ee ‘“Humph! Smarty.” ‘“T gave a picture to a girl one time >. “Oh, you did!” She wheeled and faced him, and her voice came dangee- ously near trembling. ess LE “That girl across the street, I sup- pose?” ‘No, not that girl.” ® “Oh, then there is still another. Dunning Brown, you have said all along that I am the only girl you—— ‘“And so you are, Hen ? ‘Don’t call me Henrietta any more! = “ Well, then—Miss Smith,” corrected Dunning, with a courteous inclination of the head. “Nor Miss Smythe——” “It used to be Smith, didn’t it?” ‘No, it did not! It never was. It has always been Smythe, and you know it.” ‘“Tve only known you two years. You might have changed it some time previous to that during your twenty years of. é “I’m not twenty years old! I’m only nineteen, Mr. Dunning Brown, and I think you are very insulting to-night. I don’t care in the least for that picture, either. I only framed it because Jack Rathfield dared me to. He said that if [ ‘framed it———”’ “Oho!” exclaimed Dunning, w:°.) rising spirit, “so you only framed it © 1 a dare, did youe? I might have knowa you didn’t care enough for me to go to this trouble. And so that donkey Rath- field has been here to see you, has he? You never told me he was calling on you.” | “IT don’t tell you everything,” re- torted Henrietta, with equal heat. “I suppose I can have other callers besides you if I want them. Mr. Rathfield is a perfect gentleman, at /east.” ‘“Gentleman—humph! He’s a mush- head, and I’ll make a porridge pudding out of him if he gets too numerous. And so it was on account of him that you framed my picture. Well, that is a 7 compliment, upon my word! Smith. My name is And with these remarks the disgusted | Dunning deliberately removed the back of the frame by turning down the small catches thereon and extracted the photo- graph. He transferred it to his coat- pocket and replaced the frame on .the mantelpiece. Henrietta saw these movements from the corner of her eye as she reclined on the sofa among a multitude of cushions, but said nothing. She figured that Dunning wished her to make a remon- strance, and this she emphatically de- cided not to do. He could take back his old picture and give it to the other girl if he wished. She would let him see that she was not so concerned as he evidently thought she would be. Several minutes passed, during which neither’ deemed it advisable to speak. EOmicbooks.co < j m P