The Argosy, March 1907 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

x 2 — ey rv — ig > , e = — > =i is ae ef > ro ara —S s A —— = 4 ~ . my x 4. Vi - i ae A . é . ~ “N _~ nd 2 ~ “ > 4 ‘and hat. -white throat, king replies to the girl, merry, like to have you make up the party. I don’t know you, but He surveyed Bond carefully. “I’m not taking many chances, I fancy.” Bond was visibly amazed. it’s very kind of you-———”’ Evidently Ridgely chose to misinter- pret. ‘Glad to have you,” he said, linking Bond’s arm in his. ‘‘ Come along.” The strains of the opening chorus-floated out into the foyer» ‘The curtain’s up and the folks will wonder where I am——”’ He said “ Mrs. Stewart’s party” to the doorman and they were inside, Bond too surprised to protest. A ready attendant checked his coat Bond, all in a daze, was swept along into the box, and found himself being introduced to three men and two girls whom he hardly saw, and then: ‘Beth, let me present Mr. Bond. My sister, Miss Ridgely, Bond. See you after the act,’ and Ridgely hurried away to one of the other boxes. Dick Bond saw nothing clearly save a pink, shell-like ear, the curve of the slim the glorious hair. He dropped into the seat by her side, intoxi- cated, living a twentieth-century fairy “I’m sure ‘tale. Sometimes he had had visions that he might sit so near her; might breathe the perfume of her presence ;. but never had he believed in the actuality of the thing. For three months he had dreamed and reviled himself for so dreaming. And after a while he had consoled himself and condoned his folly by re- membering that even a firefly might worship a star. And now, with the strains of merry music in his ears, the swish of the multi- colored stage dresses, the glitter of the lights, and the girl’s near presence, he forgot what he was, and madness entered his veins. He found himself laughing and ma- replies light, inconsequential. Between the acts he met other people, the sort he had never known before, and still the madness was upon him, and he- found himself as pers of their “presence: as life. Put never did he remember «h:t he THE ARGOSY. had said; words flowed to his lips with- out perceptible effort; and he was like a man drunk on new wine. It was but dimly that he realized any- thing except that he was near the girl, and that the blood was coursing merrily through his veins. At the supper- table, later, he only knew that the back- ground was such as befitted her. And every one laughed and talked and was merry, and still the madness coursed in his veins, and he, too, was merry and ate and drank, and feasted his eyes upon the girl. He became aware, a short time after they had risen from the table, that peo- ple were beginning to go; and that what he had to say he must say quickly and make his departure. He took the girl’s hand and held it for a moment. “TI must—go,” he said _haltingly. “Everything has been glorious. But I must go—lI sha’n’t forget this evening— ever = They were standing apart from the others just inside the music-room. “You must come and see me, Mr. Bond,” said the girl. “ You must come very soon. You will, won’t you?” He had a flash of what must be. “No,” he said. ‘Don’t let’s talk of that. The evening has been too splen- did, too glorious. I can’t come again— not soon. Some day, yes, but not ~ soon———’’ | Two vivid spots of color were burning on her pale cheeks. ‘But you must, ” she insisted. ‘You must come soon.’ . And the madness, the madness of the evening, spurred him on; and he knew it was madness all the while. “I can’t,” he said. “ And maybe you wort want me to after I tell you. For Iv: got to be honest; anyhow, honest with you. You don’t realize—you don’t realize at all. You think I am like any other of the men here to-night. But you see, I’m not. You're Miss Ridgely—and l'm—well, I’m a mechanic down in the Mount Clare shops—and——’ He caught his breath. ins giri naa clasped her hands over her bosom, and was breathing heavily. “You see,’ he went on, “you don’t even connect me with him—but there was a man who showed you through the Eomicbooks:- co