Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

DINNER FOR CYNTHIA. even wait to put on a hat and coat. I— why, Cynthia, they must think I’m a nut, the way I’ve been acting there!” “ But Billy—” ‘And now I’ve got to rush back and try to act natural, or pass up the only real job that ever tried to grab me,” William pounded on, his bitterness increasing with the seconds. ‘ You might have been a little bit more thoughtful about this, Cynthia! You might have stopped to think a moment, and you’d have known that, to-night of all nights, I need all the wits I’ve got. And you know how much I love you and how much I worry about you—and how sure I was that we had no secrets at all from each other or—”’ “We haven’t, Billy! I haven’t!” Cynthia cried, agonizedly. - “Well, you may be sure I have none from you, but—I never even knew you were acquainted with this family.” “Tm not, Billy! [-~” “Well, have you taken a job here?” ras No! »D “Then how in—” “ Billy, she’s coming!’ Cynthia gasped. William tightened all over. Given a suit of armor and a nice lance, and he would have looked exactly like an old-time knight about to defend his lady. “Who is? Who’s frightening you?” he snarled, as he sped toward Cynthia. “ Fri—fri—nobody!” Cynthia hissed. *“‘ And don’t come so close to me, Billy!” “Why not?” “ And don’t put your arms around me or—or kiss me or anything like that!” the remarkable young woman whispered further. ‘‘ No, I can’t tell you why now, but I will just as—” “Well, who the dickens says I can’t put my arms around you?” ‘“ Billy, do you want to ruin my whole life?”? Cynthia breathed, brokenly. ‘‘ Then stand—stand over there!” : The astounded William backed away a little, and turned at the sound of steps and glanced inquiringly at Jane Stone, and then stared fixedly, uncomprehendingly at the impossible little grimace Cynthia Blair was wearing. ‘“ Er—ah—hello!” said the latter, to Mrs. 399 Stone. ‘ Er—may I present. Mr.—Mr. Brander, Mrs. Stone?” The elder lady squinted and looked him over, nodding and smiling faintly. ‘A friend of yours, my child?” ** Er—oh, yes, a friend! A friend!” ‘Well, of course, I’m very glad indeed to know any friends of our little Cynthia.” “Our little Cynthia?” William echoed. “ Ours!” repeated Mrs. Stone. _“ Where,” asked William, in the most direct fashion of his sweetheart, “ does she get the ‘ ours ’?” “Well, that—well, that’s just a little joke!” Cynthia chattered, with gayety that belonged in the madhouse and nowhere else. ‘“« And now I think you’d better—better get back! Don’t you? They’ll be waiting for you, won’t they, and you have so much to do before—before he goes?” | William closed his eyes for an instant and breathed heavily. “ [—I have—yes!” he muttered. “Then — then we mustn’t detain you ore” “All right!” William erupted. ‘ You needn’t detain me! And it’s not necessary for you to call the servants and have me thrown out on my ear, either! But what 1 want—”’ “My dear Cynthia!” Mrs. Stone smiled, blandly. “ Ah—yes?” “ Before Mr. Brander goes. He’s one of your older friends, perhaps?” | ‘ He—oh, yes!” Cynthia said dizzily. Mrs. Stone grew actually benevolent. Her impressive head wagged rather playfully in William’s direction. ‘‘ And not in the secret, I’ll venture,” she chuckled. ‘ Well now, let me see, Mr. Brander. You’ve nothing on for Thursday evening of next week, perhaps?” “{—I don’t know!” William gulped. “ Why?” “Because we’re going to have a little informal party here for Cynthia—I think Thursday—and we’d like to be sure of your presence. Just dinner, you know, and pernaps a little dancing afterward, by way of a very modest little home celebra- tion.” “Of what?” comicbooks (S@)