Miranda of the Movies.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1926, Page 16

Miranda of the Movies.

By ERIC LEACROFT.

Author of "Winter Corn," "Silvemnds,"

Etc, Stc

CHAPTER XVIII,

If Harry felt any disappointment, lie concealed it perfectly, and, backed up the invitation with impeccable courtesy. Dick Coverdale received it with anything but a good grace. He hesitated, frowning, and glanced at Janet a* if her were tempted to her what had been her motive in giving it. He accepted it, however, and Janet took the opportunity of retreating and leaving the two young men \o amuse each other as best they could. 1*

Their best was not good. When lunch was announced—Lord Heaeltin« heing detained at a directors' meeting—--only one young man appeared to bear her company, and b,e had lost something of his accustomed ease of manner. Asked what had happened to Mr. Coverdalo, he mumbled that the author had asked him to make his excuses. He had remembered some business or other that called him awar.

"Business?" echoed Janet doubtfully. It wag difficult to imagine what business demands could be done on an out of work scenario-writer who baa travelled the whole length of England through the night with the sole object of finding her.

"Business or pleasure," said Harry carelessly. "He was rather vague, you know."

Janet didn't believe that it was pleasure either.

"I believe you've been lighting," she said suddenly* Harry smiled with disdain. "Hardly; at any rate not phy&ically. But I dojit mind telling you I'm not attracted by your young—er—well, I wont cajl him your friend." "Why not t" "Surely, he'a not the kind of follow that yon'd chooae to make friends with. Anyway, he's elected to clear off. and I won't pretend to be sorry. It's so long, Jane, since I've seen you. So let's talk about something else."

But Janet was not to be turned aside so easily.

"Listen, Harry. I haven't many friends. Perhaps I've even fewer than I thought. But Mr- Coverdale is one of them, and I'm very annoyed that he isn't here."

"I assure you," he said, "that I didn't kick him down the .terrace steps. The temptation was great, but T resisted it."

host!" "Thanks. And, of course, I quite appreciate your—what shall I call it? Professional loyalty. I suppose- Now I've made you jump. But \W shouldn't try to hide from mc."

"But how did you find out?" cried Janet, too surprised to be annoyed.

"I made it my business to find out," said the young man with a touch of his father's manner. "I shan't tell you how, but you musn't blame mc. Don't you realise that I couldn't be happy for a moment until I knew what you were doing? No. No. it wasn't curiosity. I just can't get on without you." "I don*t quite see how that justifies you into prying into my private affairs."

She spoke so coldly that he was dashed for a moment.

"But it wasn't altogether fe? my own sake," >c pleaded. "I don't k*r>w wh»t your idea was. and I' chant .' ask, but you can't have realised the kind of crowd that you were mixing yourself up with. That fellow Jonah—l know more about him than you can possibly know, and. I assure you on my word of honour that he's the last man in London that I'd care to see you associated with." •

Janet stared at him for a moment with a thoughtful frown.

"I believe you're rather impertinent," she said slowly. "I've toW j'ou before that you haven't the smallest right to question ray choice of friends—not even the right that you might have if 1 were sure that you were one of them, ,.

He s&ook his head impatiently. He was beginning to be angry now, and a scowl lurked in his eyes that she had not seen there before.

''If it comes to that, I don't want to be your friend," h# declared. "I want to be more than that, and I claim the right to protect the girl I intend to make my wife from making a fool of herself. Now you're angry with mc." "I am," said Janet. "Good. I like you even better when you're angry. Look here, Jane, you've kept mc waiting long enough for an answer, and I can't wait any longer, m provide it myself. You're going to marry mc."

"If I ever hesitated," said Janet, "I don't now,"

"But wait a minute, lie went on; and now he didn't even attempt to hide that unpleasant scowL "I've been fooled long enough, and I'm going to speak plainly. You're going to marry mc because you can't afford not to. I warn you, and I can make you happy, but I'd rather have you against yonr wil than not have you at alt. No, yov must hear mc oat. You may be as proud and disdainful as you like, and I shall, love you all the more for it But what's your pride based on! Nothing. You think Miss Thorpe oi Thorpe is too good for an upstart like mc, % man whose : father was nothing but what he made himself. Perhaps she was, but I've only to say the word and you won't be * Mies Thorpe of Thorpe any longer. You'll be Miss Thorpe of—oh, Baling or Surbiton oi some god-forsaken suburb of London D'you realise what that means—to be |, what they call a decayed gentlewoman j living on your past in a suburban villa? Oh, call it blackmail if you like; call mc the ugliest names you can think of. but think well before you decide. And even if you escape yourself, thiak what it means to yonr father and to Otwaki." "And on the other hand?' put in Janet. While he spoke, she had been watching him gravely with her chin on her hand. "On the other hand," he said eagerly, "the thing adjusts itself. I happen to know that the peter doesn't much mind whether he takes over Thorpe or not. In any case, it »©uW b* a family matter, and there's no reason why everybody shouldn't be satisfied." "Including mc?" '•Well, what's wrong with mc!" he demanded. "I'm still wondering," said Janet softly. "Perhaps everything. At any rate, you've giyeu mc a chance tojudge." "Of course, there's no great hurry." he put in quickly. Her quietness seemed to puzzle hi», and there was a trace of awkwardness in Ids tone. 'I know I've put the thing crudely, but I couldn't stand the suspense, any longer. I had to know. Besides all's fair in k*ve, you know, and JFj—well, I love you more than anything in the world." "That," said, Janet, "wan*! have came j&tter at tie tesittiwujfc \.. .. i

"I admit I'm a clumsy brute.'* "I don't think I mind clumsiness," said Janet; and her thoughts flew to Dick Coverdale. She stood up. "Goodbye," the said, not holding out her hand.

"But I haven't had your answer/ "My answer's good-bye," She looked at him meditatively. "To think that I once imagined that I liked you.' .

But she-had not quite got rid of him even when she had ordered the car that Lord Heeeltine bad put at her disposal for her daily drive on the moor. He met her in the vast hall, a very contrite young politician.

"Janet, I take it all back. I'd no right to threaten you. I forgot myself."

He epoke in a low voice, so as not to ■be heard by the footman who carried her bag. But she answered in her ordinary tone, and ' fr answer was duly reported and discussed in the servants' hall, where it met with the unanimous approval of that acute jury:

'"I hope, Harry, that I shan't ever meet you again."

"But won't you tell mc where you're going?"

"Certainly. I'm going to Lord Hesel tine's (fliee/ .

'■But -you needn't."' he protested. "I swear that I didn't mean what I said. Look here, I'll undertake to persuade him myeelf that nothing shall be done about Thorpe for—for a month. He'll listen to mc, but I'm certain he wouldn't listen to you. Leave it to mc."

"I don't think you understand.' , said Janet with quiet contempt. 'I wasn't going to ask your father to hold his hand. I'd rather die."

Then what?" he stammered

"It doesn't concern you. hut if you want to know, I'm going to beg him to — foreclose, or whatever the right word is."

She left him bewildered and escaped to * the ear. Out on the open moor .-he neticed . diminutive figure a mile ahead occupying tho middle of the road. It was too far away to tell whether it wa.s moving or stationary. "Look out for donkeys," she warned the chauffeur. He grinned back his appreciation. It had been he who had picked her out of the road on that distressful night, and had so accurately diagnosed tiiat she wasn't dead.

"A two-legged donkey," hs called back, two minutes later Janet smiled, accepting his definition of man, then leaned forward with sudden interest. There was something familiar, in spite of the shapeless raincoat, in the figure that was trudging doggedly the dreary miles to Corby. . ' \ "Stop," ehe cried to the chauffeur; and ' to Dick Coverdale, "Get in." I The day had turned to rain—tjhat almost imperceptible rain of the high moors. One may drive through it in a \ closed car, and notice nothing more than a vague mist limiting the radius of vision. But to walk in it is to be soaked within an hour. ; Dick hesitated to deposit hie teeming; person on Lord Heseltine's upholstery, but she spread her coat beside her. with an impatient gesture, and ordered him to sit on it. I "Why did you run away?" she demanded eterniv.

"'Oh. I—l don't get on with Mr. Heseltine."

She looked at him quickly. If there was any awkwardness in his manner now, it wasn't social awkwardness of the country bred that she had suspected him of. Could she have been mistaken?

'But you don't know him," she accused him. "<)v do yout" . ? - i °1 knovrof him," said Dick, still with that ©thisr kind' of embarrassment. Janet turned and faced him squarely, forcing him to look at her. .

"flick," ghe said, "I want you- as a favour to mc, to tell mc what you know about Harry Heseltine."

''I wish you wouldn't put it like that," he answered. "One doesn't like to —"

I "Listen!" she broke in. "Mr. Heseltine , lias asked mc "to marry him, and if I ; have any friends it's their duty to tell mc if there's any reason why I shouldn't."'

This time he met her eyes with such a searching look that her own fell before ♦hem. He was silent for a minute, then whispered a few words in her ear. She recoiled, staring at him in frank unbelief.

"I have it from—from the man who oujrht to know best."

"Then it's he who ——" Janet's eyes were round with amazement.

"Hcah," said Dick, with a conspiratorial glance at the chauffeur's impassive back.

Sbe found Lord Heseltine in his den and was with him for half an hour. It was when she left him that she dispatched the telegram that had reached Mr. Jonah, while Oswald was with him. Then she took herself to a hotel that she had known all her life. A reply came an hour later. Janet read it. laughed joyfully, and exclaimed:

"Impertinent little angel l" »The telegram contained four words only: "Not half. Love. Jonah."

(To be continued daih".)