Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

DINNER FOR CYNTHIA. But some forms of insanity were like that, weren’t they? The unfortunates looked and acted and talked in perfectly sane fashion, that is, except on one or two sub- jects. So it seemed rather plain that Cynthia had encountered one of these cases; having got herself into all this, it was now her high privilege to get herself out of it! Just what did one do when dealing with a demented person? To the best of Cynthia’s belief, one humored such a_ person. Cynthia’s smile may not have been the steadiest smile in the world, but it was inordinately bland. “ Why, yes, of course! » she said heartily. ce Eh?” “JT mean that I'll be awfully glad to stay. It—it was foolish of me to want to go, wasn’t it?” ‘““T considered it so, at any rate,” Mrs, Stone responded, with a rather mystified grin. “I’m glad to see that you—” “Yes, of course! Of course!” Cynthia cried, with a high pitched little cackle that had intended to be a gay laugh. “ But first, you know, I must get my handker- chief!” <4 Eh P? “Ves, it’s in my coat and my coat’s in your daughter’s room,” the guest pursued, and turned in the most carefully leisurely fashion toward the door again. “ Just sit down and wait! I won’t be a minute, you know.” “Well, before you go, will you do me one favor?” the elder lady asked, grimly. “Oh, I’d be delighted!” Cynthia cried enthusiastically. “Then stop thinking that I’m a damned lunatic!” Mrs. Stone rasped. “I’m not, I assure you. I’m a woman whose patience and endurance have been worn right down to the bone with this Neville rot—and this time, since he really has hooked up with a real girl, ’m going to get it settled! 1 swear to Moses, I think I’ll see you married to him before ever [I let you out of my sight!” cried Neville’s grandmother, as emotion overcame her for the moment, ~“ But ’m not a maniac!” There was, as ever, something extremely convincing about Mrs. Stone. Gazing at her, Cynthia’s terror departed suddenly; hot anger welled up in its place, too. own eyes flashed. “ Then, if you’re really not, I’m leaving!” she stated. “Well, youre doing nothing of the kind!” banged from Mrs. Stone. Cynthia laughed unpleasantly. ‘““My dear lady,” said she, “I have no doubt that you’re the tyrant of your family, but you don’t terrorize me, even a little bit, and you can’t ey the tyrant with © me |? “ Spirit, hey?” chuckled Mrs. Stone. “Lots of it!” snapped Cynthia. “ Good » night.” “Wait, my dear! keep you here!” Cynthia whirled about in quite savage = amazement. “Why, you’re—you’re- incredible!” she cried, with none of that respect which is due an older person. “ If I don’t choose to remain of my own accord, how on earth could you keep me here?” ‘“* How? ent ways, you little simpleton!” barked Mrs. Stone, her own temper slipping slight-_ = ly. “ And don’t use just that tone to me, if you please. an extremely impudent young woman!” Cynthia Blair drew herself up frigidly — and laughed—yes, laughed right into the It was exactly as if face of Mrs. Stone! she had snapped her fingers under that lady’s nose. “And you,” she said distinctly, “are a— very stupid and preposterous old lady and — T—” ‘What was that?” gasped Neville’s grandmother. “I’m sure you heard me.” “I did—the preposterous—yes!” }frs. Stone forced out, with evident difficulty. But what ‘““We’re all that, more or less. was that other word?” | “That other word,” said Cynthia, from her elevation, “ was—stupid! night! ” She turned away—yet even as she turned — she noted the newest change in Mrs. Stone. The lady’s anger seemed to have subsided 2 as as swiftly as it had risen. The blaze, which ~ ou te a = _ ro _e >? = f age. oo Her “ —. | Don’t force me to Why, in fifty thousand differ- — You're lovely, but you're And now— — 3 and for the last time, this time — good — cComicboo < el ae de