Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

DINNER FOR CYNTHIA. overpaid sensation of the artistic world. She had discovered that there were already in New York many, many artists, who were supplying every visible need and collect- ing for their labors; and that behind them marched another army of artists, who car- ried big portfolios and sat in anterooms, and never apparently supplied any need or collected for anything; and that even be- hind this army were a few stragglers like herself, who had recently come to the city. Nora, too, age and training considered, was a very capable little artist, who could draw anything from a classic figure to a seduc- tive can label, and who had a very neat and satisfactory technique when it came to oils. Or. again, take the case of Cynthia Blair, who had come to town with her Cousin Nora. Cynthia, too, had learned, although not so much about art as about music, since Cynthia lived more or less for her piano. By this time she had learned that, through some strange trick of fate, every last child in the metropolitan district who has ever contemplated taking music lessons, had al- ready engaged an entirely efficient instruc- tor. She had ascertained also that, particu- larly at just this season, one is not booked for even the least important of concert en- gagements—nay, not even for the humblest little job as accompanist or a rather humble vocalist! And since so much about Cynthia seems to have leaked out, let the whole sickening truth be told: She had even es- tablished the remarkable fact that pianists in the smaller movie houses never relin- quish their jobs until Old Age has laid his stiffening touch upon their fingers! ‘This last bit of research had cost Cynthia some- thing in the making and had netted her nothing at all. By this time you will have deduced that things were not going so very well with a pair who had advanced upon the metropolis all full of youth’s bright confidence and a decent consciousness of real worth. Your deductions will be most accurate; this was the sixteenth of the month and the rent of the two-and-bath-and-kitchenette was still unpaid! Cynthia sat by the window, looking in- terestedly down upon the street; there was a thin film of dust on the hired piano in the corner. But Nora Blair painted steadily, now and then speaking harshly of the light from the big, bluish bulb, but painting on. Cynthia turned and examined the clock and smiled brilliantly at her cousin. “My Billy ‘ll be here in another fifteen minutes!” she submitted. Nora merely nodded! Cynthia drew a deep breath and the smile faded out into a rather awed expression. “He'll be here to take me to dinner!” she added. “ Dinner!” “Umum,” agreed Nora, and paused for a moment and examined her work. “Darn it!” said Cynthia. “I wish I could think up some way of having him ask you to come along, without making it too obvious.” “You don’t want me,” Nora murmured. ‘Of course, I’d just as soon have my Billy all to myself,” Cynthia confessed and dimpled—and she was even lovelier when she dimpled, which is saying a great deal. “ But this once, Nora—oh, I do wish he’d ask you.” Nora squinted malevolently at the bulb. “Thank Heaven I mixed this red by daylight!” she said. “ I—what, Cyn? I couldn’t go to-night, anyway. I’m going to finish this thing for Morse before to- morrow morning if it kills me; and when he’s taken one good look at it he’s going to give me all the work in the shop!” . Cynthia gazed sadly at her cousin and kept to her own train of thought. ‘You're just as hungry as I am.” ‘“‘ Well, of course, one doesn’t live on soda 171. crackers and corn flakes for a week with- » out developing a certain edge on the appe- tite,’ Nora confessed, without much con- cern. “ But I’m not as hungry as you are, you poor kid. [ don’t get as hungry as you do. Nobody could!” ‘“ Because you’ve got more soul!” Cyn- thia sighed. “Probably,” Nora grinned. ‘ Oh—did Smithers say anything about the rent when you ran into him downstairs to-day?” ‘““He didn’t say anything; he looked a lot. Nora, he—he won’t put us out of here, will he?” COLMNICLOOKS (E@