Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

lie , , - <opnang natural,” she murmured. ie Quite natural,” said Myra dryly. : “ What are you going to do?” “ Nothing,” said Diantha with a sigh. “I couldn’t risk making him really angry.” “You can meet Sutliffe here if you like,” ~ Myra suggested casually. Diantha shook her head. She could not appear too eager. “ Bad enough to lie on my own account,” she said. “ I won’t drag =" into ats Besides I couldn’t let Sutliffe had got you to do it for me. ga would undermine my defenses.” “I thought you wanted them under- mined?” “I don’t want him to know they are.” Myra laughed. ' “ Suppose I give a party? Naturally, I would ask you both. You meet here by accident.” Diantha shook her head. “ It’s very diffi- cult for me to get away in the evening.” ** At the dansant, then, four till seven.” “ We ride every afternoon,” said Diantha. “Indeed, the only time I could get off this week would be some day when he stays down town to lunch.” “What day?” asked Myra. “Well, Thursday I know he’s not going to be home.” “Til give a déjeuner dansani,’ said Myra. “ It will be something new.” CHAPTER XX. THE DEJEUNER DANSANT. principal room in Myra’s apart- ment was forty feet long, ample in size for the select party that she planned. It was a gold room; the rounded, patterned ceiling was lavishly incrusted with gold leaf, the walls shimmered in various tones of gold ing brown, the furniture was upholstered Se eat ke Be It made a gor- __ ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. astonishing crescent of dia : her brow by a black velvet ribbon, The glass doors into the parrot parrot room was the purple boudoir. This was filled with palms and ferns to make a~ conservatory for the occasion. A few twin- kling colored lights amid the greenery cre- ated a romantic twilight. The curtains of all the rooms were closely drawn. Daylight — would have spoiled the scene. Ss It was a buffet lunch, and the guests - moved around at will. George Bricklym and ~ Oliver Judd Rambert were there. As unat= tached males who never allowed business to interfere with their engagements, they were in demand at such functions. In the day- time dansants, at the best, produce rather a scratch lot of men. Sutliffe was like a king among therh. Another man was Hoeber™ Dimmick, who still went by the title of ““Myra’s Manager,” though she had retired from the stage. He was rather a decayed looking youth of forty odd, whose manner became ever more boyish as the hair thinned on his pate. The rest of the men were pro- fessional tea dancers, young, comely, beauti- fully dressed; all with alert and guarded eyes. They were all equally ready to dance, to talk, to listen, to make love in either the worshipful or the masterful style. The ladies included Myra’s “ most inti- mate friends ” of the moment; i. eé., those _ sufficiently in the know for her to wish to be | seen with them; a couple of screen stars, the latest emotional actress, a society woman or two who had achieved notoriety through marital exploits. There were also several, | ladies “ asked out of kindness, my dear,” who nervously effaced themselves and acted ; as admiring chorus to the glittering prin- cipals. There are always some of these @ t such a gathering. = After the party had emteis to great annoyance, Henry Cheeseman : urned d propriety of his staying away. ; “ Nobody will be here ta