Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

DINNER FOR CYNTHIA. to slump wearily into the chair she had lately deserted, and gaze on, just as numbly. Mrs. Stone stirred, opened her eyes with a momentary confused scowl, smiled be- nignly at Cynthia. ‘“‘ Ves—lI’m listening,” she said brightly. “J—I just closed my eyes, my child. ‘With a great cry of joy his powerful arms closed about her bare shoulders—’ Go on!” CHAPTER XI. ATTEMPTS, THINK I’ve read enough,” said Cyn- thia. “Want to go to bed?” “Tf there’s nothing else to do. But—oh, Mrs. Stone,” the guest pleaded, “ isn’t there anything I can say that will make you let me go home?” ‘ Huh?” demanded the lady, and awoke fully. “I thought that was all settled. What’s the matter? Some of your folks taken sick while I was dozing?” “ Er—er—yes!” the guest cried gladly. ** My cousin!” ““What’s the matter with her?” “Well, she—er—she—you see, she has these—well, they’re spells, you know, and—” “Ves, I know all about those spells,” the elder lady chuckled. “ Honey, you’re the worst apology for a liar I ever met—and I’ve met some wonders.” She wagged her head. She even winked at Cynthia as the chuckle waxed to a gen- tle, comfortable quaking of her ample frame. Miss Blair breathed a little harder. “You know what’s going to happen to you eventually, don’t you?” she demand- ed. ‘‘ When you do decide to release me, and I tell my people, and they—they de- cide to take Jegal action?” There was just a shade of annoyed as- tonishment in the smile with which Mrs. Stone considered her. “Why, no, Cynthia; I don’t know,” she said. ‘“‘I may be growing dumb in my old age, but to save my life I can’t see that -anything’s going to happen to me. It ’d be sort of horrible to have to press the mat- Se ter of that lace pin, but if I’m pushed to it I can do it—any time. And if you ever should decide to—to try taking what you call legal action—why, no, Cynthia I can’t see what’s going—what’s going to happen =—— to me at all. What is?” ‘ Oh!” choked Cynthia Blair. ? ‘“You’re too shy and you were too long — getting here, to take any chances now you are here, even if I do have to use drastic measures,” Mrs. Stone rumbled pleasantly; = x and then scowled in sudden irritation. ‘“Tah! Have done with your skittishness! All I’m trying to do is to make sure you'll get a splendid husband and a few millions! Run along to bed, Cynthia; here’s Towner, waiting to show you to your room.” Considerably later, after a prolonged pe- riod of sitting and frowning at the hands on her cane, Mrs. Stone journeyed to her daughter’s suite, humming contentedly, — Cornelia was reading in bed. ‘“Where’s that fussy pink bathrobe of Dora’s?” Mrs. Stone demanded. “ Didn’t she take it with her?” ‘Nope. Took her gray one—I saw it packed.” , “Then the pink one’s probably in her smaller closet, mother. Why?” ‘“ Dora coming home to-morrow?” “She didn’t say—exactly, that is. I rather expected her to-day.” “And she raises Cain when anybody monkeys with her things, too, doesn’t she?” Mrs. Stone reflected cheerily. ‘“ However, * I guess I'll take a chance with her bathrobe; it “ll tickle the young one!” ‘“ What young one?” ‘Cynthia, my dear. day or two.” Mrs. Ronalds dropped her book and opened her eyes. “Why, mother?” “Oh, just so that I can see her engage- She’s staying for a — ment to Neville ratified with my own eyes _ and get that blamed boy’s future settled!” ‘ But she’s not engaged to him. She said so!” “ She was lying, elder lady. Comey,” chuckled the — ‘“ They’ve made some fool secret. compact and she’s sticking to it through — : = But I surprised the truth = on) thick and thin! u mya 1 7 Dit? NAR Ag OVARIES Chee ms ale Fe WS TEU OA tt ae 4 7 y \ ¢ J ViOtAly 4 Bae ae ‘comicbooks as eee - < “se - ee ee. Se SS ee ee Ss < > > ys — aes 5 NE _- - 2 ao —s