FOR LOVE OF BETTY

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 78, 1 April 1922, Page 21

FOR LOVE OF BETTY

BY MAY CHRISTIE __(*ftor of Tie Marriage of Anne,- '___g HO « t Jf WrrietX _?«," ewd "Ai Oapimf s Call."

XCIX.—A FRUITLESS SEARCH. The mind of April Moore was obsessed ■with one idea —the recovery of the pawnticket she had inadvertently dropped in the library of the Manor House. Intuitively she knew that the pearl ring had never rightfully been the property of Charlie Davon. ChaTlie, in some devious—if not criminal—way had its temporary possessor. There was urgent need, then, that the ring should be instantly redeemed, and returned to its lawful owner. "I've kept him out of gaol once, and I suppose I can do it again!" April told herself with a little rueful smile. "But first of all the pawn-ticket must be found.*' She somehow had a shTewd suspicion that it was Betty Gordon's property that had been ruthlessly pawned. Aprilvery love for Davon gave her remarkable clarity of vision, Vhere that unaccountable young man was concerned. It amounted almost to "second sight." To-day, as she hunted desperately through every nook and cranny of the library, she remembered the little packet, she had seen lying in the parlour of the Red Cottage during her memorable interview with Betty Gordon. "She wanted to return a ring to Jack —of course that was it:" The light of knowledge spread over April's face. "Then Charlie probably met her, made himself as charming as possible, and by hook or crook he wangled the situation so that the ring came into his possession. . . Whew! It's a nasty business!" It was a different matter robbing Trevor, April told herself. Trevor was so chivalrous—even if he knew she bad -taken the twenty-five hundred dollars, the wouldn't prosecute—but this was a completely different situation. "I can't make inquiries—that's the awkward part!" April frowned worriedly as tiie search continued. "I'd have to say the pawn-ticket was my own—Jack might offer to redeem the" ring—if he ever saw it. then the fat would be in the fire with a vengeance!" _ April pictured to herself Jack's face if the ring he had given Betty Gordon ever fell into his hands—she was certain now it was the same identical ring that Betty had been planning quite a ■while ago to return to Jack. . . . "Sounds like a moving picture story'" thought April, knitting her brows together. She was interrupted in her search hv "Miss C'rowell. "Have you lost anything? Can I help you in any way?" The 'latter walked into the library. "Oh no—that—is—l thought I dropped my handkerchief," stammered April, taken unawares. "Don't let mc detain you-no doubt I'll find it myself." The nurse looked at the girl, and there was something indefinable in her glance It was quite apparent to her that April was hiding the real reason of this "feverish search. . . . Her quizzical looks annoyed the girl. Don t let mc keep you here-no doubt £__ P '^ l<!ni + nee<is r°»<" said the latter insolently, turmng her back on the woman. As the nurse left the library, she was Wi mr n , V T Ced ''" her own mi °d that AprJ bad been hunting for the pawned * i" J •? 6 had iearDed **« Trevor bad p ,cked it up by chance. . . _? Ut J 'i a ™ an called Charlie Davon pawned the ring, what affair can it be °' J *? Moore's?'' she was wondering. She had promised Mr. Trevor not to tell anyone that April had been posin° under another name in Scotland ° J/"-?£ Wi±hin "fceeta!" she told hereea. Id give a good deal if I C ould jmeet the real Miss Betty Gordon, a_d havo a chat with her!" ' She turned to ascend the 6 t_ re Hello, nurse, i 3 that you? Do come befo J her 7 0 r iU Man ° r HoUse bef ore her -mihng. In the presence f II W* ,•" " SUaI lan gri*"*» seemed .aM: 8 - Crowell hesitated before she very W *{*? aWa _ from ffl y P atie »t very long—he's rather depressed this ;:«!?-'-•- ---ward a deep lounge chair, and piloted the nurse into its roomy depth.. lou said Jack Trevor was deure_ser7 didn t you?" she queried. "Weu'vmnoi a bit surprised—poor fellow'" Miss Crowell lifted her brows questioning]-. She looked at her paUent's hostess. B7 Z Mr "Illness is always depressing of course," she said. S ' *i,"° h I_ I dWn,t mean that," rejoined the ~ther. "I was linking'prinl£S ™ Ji" "__*■ that W around the candle—rather a gilded candle"-she broke off, smiling—and then added — I alivays w_s a fiend for miring metaphors, but you know what I'm referring to ? B The nurse did not answer. Silence to ocr at this juncture seemed more expedient. It was possible that now she was going to get vital information. . . . U it weren't for some theatricals that we re getting up, and the fact that sue s needed in them, I'd send Miss April Moore packing," pursued her hostess energetically. "I'm tired of her and her petty schemes!" Miss Crowell feigned surprise. I don't quite understand, I'm afraid," she remarked. The other turned sharply on her. . + "take it you're a woman of ordinary intelligence and commonsense," she snapped, '-and surely you can see what's going on immediately below your nose?" , "™* )li6S Crowell smiled imperit's better not to see," she eaid quietly. C—A COKTTDEXTfAD TALK. The hostess of the Manor Houso ignored Miss Crow-ell's observation. • in I h * ve »'t un .V patience with a grri like April Moore," cried she. "She's turned into a regvlaT little adventuress, a Pretty little bird of prey—but it's up to you, llias Crowell, to prevent her attacks on your patient." A slow smile dawned on Miss Crowell's , pleasant face. "He can look after himself well enough," she answered. "He isn't a tool—and—" she looked shrewdly at the ottHsr— J 'isn't Miss Moore engaged to him?" The lady of the Manor House lifted su-jrlßed hrowe. i

"She says she is, but what does Trevor say? That's what I'd like to know. Mind, I'm not going to have him worried to death by ber not as long as he's under my roof—that's one thing I wanted to tell you, Miss Crowell. The latter drew herself up with a little air of professional dignity. The lady of the Manor House was" surely casting aspersions on her capacity as nurse. Her dictatorial tone was most unpleasing. "You needn't be afraid that I shall neglect my patient, in any way," she said stiffly, and made a little move as though she would rise and leave the room. But the lady of tho house laid a restraining and apologetic hand on hen arm. "Please don't be cross. I was only thinking of Jack Trevor's good," she said. "I bate to think of him in April Moore's tenacious grip." "Then why do you have the girl iv your house at all?*" The uncompromising nurse looked at her in blank astonishment. The other shrugged her shoulders. "Couldn't prevent it this time," she said laconically. "She wrote to tell mc that Jack Trevor was simply longing to be here—that he insisted on her coming too—that he wouldn't have her out of his sight for a moment—" "And now?" interrupted tbe nurse, amazed. "And now," went ou the other, "I see for myself that Jack Trevor's sick to death of the girl—he hasn't a word to say to her." There was a little silence in the room. "'She's really in love with Charlie Davon, you know," resumed the lady of the house at last. "And, honestly, they're better suited to each other. If it weren't for Jack's money, April would marry the other man at once—. but she's a fiend for spending—there's the n.-." Charlie Davon. The man who had pawucd the ring. So this explained: April's feverish search. An understanding light broke over the nurse's face as she listened. "He's a 'wrong-un" i_ my opinion," went on the candid hostess, "and vet I sometimes think that if only April Moore would turn her talents" in the right direction, and marry him, and help to steer him straight, she might make something of him, after all." But Miss Crowell was not interested in Charlie Davon, and 'his regeneration, beyond the facts that had been recently brought to light. "I wish my patient would take heart," *he said suddenly, "and get interested in something, or someone. He's certainly depressed, as you yourself have seen. Xo,v he's round the corner and on the high road to complete recovery, he ought to be different —happier—l can't account for it. Can you?" "Look how April's W-Trying him/ rejoined the other. But the nurse didn't seem particularly impressed. "Oh, that doesn't matter—it's something more than that," she said. She was hoping that the other woman could throw some light on Trevor's love affair. She was practically certain that the Betty Gordon he had raved about in his delirium lived in this part of the world. "I think he's in love," she went on, her kind eyes softening, "and the affair's gone wrong." Tha lady of the Manor House sat up suddenly. The story that her maid had told her—the romantic love-scene that had taken place close to the Red Cottage —sprang to her mind once more. "Miss Crowell, I believe you're right," she cried. "Listen—did you ever hear him speak of anyone called Betty?" The other woman nodded. It was impossible to tell her that April Moore had impersonated the unknown Betty. She had promised Trevor not to give April away on that score, but surely there wasn't any harm in finding out all that she could? "He raved about a girl called Betty Gordon. I'm certain he's in love with her, and with no one else," she said. "Gordon? Gordon of the Red Cottage?" The other woman knit her brows. "Of course, I remember _oiv— an aunt and niece—they live not very far from here. My maid's sweetheart overheard Trevor making love to Betty somebody-or-other. It must be the verysame." "I wish," said the nurse, and there was a Tomantie light in her kind eyes, "I wish we could somehow bring the' two together. I'm sure things would come right then—something's weighing on Mr. Trevor's mind. He won't get really better till it's lifted." "I have it," cried the other suddenly. "I'll send a note round to Miss Betty Gordon, tell her some of her friends are staying here, and invite her to come and see the theatricals to-morrow then you can take her up to Mr. Trevor's room, and the two can meet -without any prying eyes watching them." "But—will she come?" said the nurse doubtfully. "You say you hardly know Iver—" "Of course she'll come," the other cried, as the nurse rose to TetuTn toi her paitient, "Remember—-not a word to anyone—and above all 'not a word of this to Trevor." (To Tif continued daily."!