The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

VICKY VAN. 7 people between us, I caught a glimpse of Somers’s face as he was presented to Miss Van Allen. He was bowled over. His eyes beamed with admiration, and he bowed low as he raised to his lips the dainty, bejeweled hand. Vicky, apparently, did not welcome this old-time greeting; she drew away her hand, saying: “Not allowed. Naughty man! Express proper compunction, or you can’t sit next me at supper!” | “Forgive me,” begged Somers. “I’m sorry! J’ll never do it again—until after I sit next you at supper!” “More brains than I thought,” I said to Cassie, who nodded. Vicky Van rose from her chair. “Take my place for a moment, Mr. Somers,” she said, standing before him. “I” —she dropped her eyes adorably—‘ I must see about the arrangement of seats at the supper-table.” With a merry laugh, she ran from the room and through the long hail to the dining-room. Somers dropped into her vacant chair, and continued the bridge game with the air of one who knows how to play. In less than five minutes Vicky was back. “No, keep the hand,” she said, as he rose. ‘I’ve played long enough. And supper will be ready shortly.” “ Finish the rubber—I insist,” Somers returned, and. as he determinedly stood behind the chair, Vicky, perforce, sat down. He continued to stand behind her chair, watching her play. Vicky was too sure ef her game to be rattled at his close scrutiny, but it seemed to me her shoulders shrugged a little impatiently as he criticised er com- mended her plays. She had threwn a light scarf ef gauze or tulle areund her when she was out of the room, and, being the same color as her gown, it made her more than ever like a heuri. She smiled up into Somers’s face, and then, coyly, her long lashes fell on her pink cheeks. Evidently she had cencluded to bewitch the newcemer, and she was making geod. I drew nearer, principally because I liked to look at her. She was a live wire to-night! She looked roguish, and she made most brilliant plays, tossing down her cards with gay gestures and doing trick shuffles with her twinkling fingers. ‘You could have had that last trick if you’d played for it,” Somers said, as the rubber finished. “TY know it,” Vicky conceded. ‘TI saw, just too late, that I was getting the lead into the wrong hand.” “Well, don’t ever do that again,”’ he said ‘lightly. “‘ Never again.” As he said the last word, he laid his finger-tips on her shoulder. It was the lightest touch and her shoulder was swathed in the transparent tulle, but still it roused Vicky. She glanced up at him, and I looked at him, too. But Somers was not in flirtatious mood. He said, “I beg your pardon,” in most correct fashion. Had he then touched her inadvertently? It didn’t seem so, but his speech assured it. -Vicky jumped up from the table and, ignoring Somers, ran out to the hall, saying something abbut looking after the surprise for the supper. To my surprise, Somers followed her; not hastily, but rather deliberately. Quell- ing an absurd impulse to go, too, I turned to Norman Steele, who stood near. “Who’s this Somers?” I asked rather abruptly. “Is he all right?” “Vou bet,” said Steele, smiling. He’s a top-notcher.”’ “In what respects?”’ ‘“‘ Every and all.” “You’ve known him leng?” “Yes. I tell you, Cal, he’s all right. Ferget it. What’s the surprise for supper? Do yeu knew?” “Of ceurse not. It weuldn’t be a sur- prise if we all knew of it.” ‘“‘ Well, Vicky’s surprises are always great fun. Why the grouch, old man? Can't you chirrup?”’ “Qh, I’m all right.” I felt anneyed that he read in my face that I was put out. I didn’t like Semers, but I ceuldn’t say so to the man who had breught him there. “Qh, please! Ob, please!” sheuted a hoarse, strange voice, and one scarcely to oO comicbooks CO