The Argosy, November 1908 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

622 And Dick knew by this that he had gained her confidence. CHAPTER IV. MASQUERADING AS OLD ACQUAINTANCES, THEY were both so engrossed in the taking of the picture, that they entirely failed to hear the conductor’s warning “All Abaard!”’ and were only recalled to their situation by the grind “of the starting wheels upon the rails. Then they had to scamper for it; and it may be remarked in passing, that noth- ing so tends to overcome any lingering stiffness between two young people as a brisk run with a common purpose in view. Flushed and panting, they scrambled up on the platform together, and if Be- han’s arm encircled the girl’s waist a lit- tle longer and a little more ardently than was strictly necessary, he may perhaps be excused on the score of a natural fear lest she might fall. ‘At any rate, she did not seem to re- sent it; for after gently disengaging her- self, and smoothing back her ruffled hair wiiile she regained her breath, she broke into a ringing laugh. “ That was worth while, wasn’t it?” she said with unaffected zest. “I haven't had such an exciting race since I was a little girl in short frocks. But, oh,” with a sudden anxiety, “I do hope you didn’t lose the picture?” “Never think it,” he assured her. “I have it safe, all right,” patting the little box upon his arm. ‘‘ Why, I would have missed all the trains for the next week, rather-than let it go.” ‘‘and have kept me posing there all the time, heedless of my hunger or thirst, without a qualm of compunction, eh?” she bantered. ‘“‘ That, I suppose, is what you call the artistic temperament.” “Well, the artistic temperament doesn’t prevent me from being hungry right now,” he retorted with a smile. “I don’t know how you feel about it; but that little whiff of fresh air and the sprint has raised quite an appetite on my side of the house. What do you say to a foraging trip to the buffet-car? We can probably find a club sandwich and some- thing to go with it back there.” THE ARGOSY. Daffodil hesitated. She was traveling unchaperoned, and it behooved her to be wary in her acceptance of courtesies from chance acquaintances of the male persua- sion. No “really nice girl’ would, she knew, listen for a moment to such a prop- osition. Still, this good-looking young fellow was so indubitably a gentleman, so in- genuous and frank. And a club sand- wich did sound enticing. ‘“ But I don’t‘know you,” she wavered. “We are absolute strangers.” ‘“Oh, but that is speedily remedied,” he rejoined. ‘ We’ll ‘pretend’ as the children do; and the game is, that I as Mr. Breen and you as Miss Parsons— those are not our real names of course, but they will do as well as any other— are old acquaintances, and by a delight- ful chance happen to have met again on this train. That would obviate all trouble with the convenances, wouldn't it? : “Besides,” he urged, ‘‘since we are both going to Verdee, I have a very strong fancy that we will shortly be pre- sented to each other in due and proper form, so we are, in a way, only forestall- ing our acquaintanceship a little.” It was this final argument which evi- dently carried weight with Miss Prentice. ‘‘ But,” she questioned, “if that be so, why can we not start off under our true colors in the first place?” ‘Oh, no; that would never do at all,” he quickly demurred. ‘‘ Under our true names we cannot possibly be old friends, and our conduct would be therefore highly reprehensible and improper, but as Mr. Breen and Miss Parsons, child- hood playmates in Anyoldtown, who could point the finger of censure? Let the new acquaintance begin as it may, | at present hold out for the old friend- “Very well, then,” she yielded; “ only I must enter a decided protest agamst ‘Miss Parsons.” ‘The only woman I ever really detested in my life was. called that.” “So? How would ‘Miss Peach’ or ‘Miss Pretty’ do then?” “ Worse and worse. No,” she decided; ““T shall be ‘ Miss Prunes-and-Prisms,’ because I am going to be a very model of deportment; and you shall be ‘ Mr. Be- comicloooks.conn