LOVERS THREE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3827, 9 May 1913, Page 3

LOVERS THREE.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]

BY ARTHUR APPLIN (.Author of “Robert Aiks’ Wife,” “The Stolen Heiress,” “The ClioruGirl,” Etc..).

FOOL OR KNAVE ?” _ i r Sin and Peter Gate mot outside in the street; for a moment the latter looked at Sin as il he were going to kick him. ••You’re responsible for this! I don’t know whether you’re a fool or a knave. But whatever you are, you shall pay heavily il any harm comes to Phyllis.”

Bin raised his eyes. He was certainly never a knave; a fool, some men might have said, judging superficially. “You fool!” Gate blurted out furiously. “What are you playing at?' What's your game? Because you’ve got a perverted sense of right and wrong, because you think you love Phyllis, and because you don't care so long as you win her, if she comes to you branded: as a thief, a criminal even, you can watch her dragged down, disgraced and degraded ! “When she’s ruined and helpless in the gutters, and the whole world lias turned its back on her, you think, perhaps, she’ll bo forced to come to you—you. who stand in the gutters, too! That’s your only chance of winning her, of taking her from mo. I laughed at you and your love, didn’t I? Now you can Laugh at me. To win her you will ruin her.”

Sin linked his arm through Peter Gate’s, but the latter shook him oil' roughly. , “Perhapsxyou don’t realise the harm you’re doing, and the crime you’re committing. Supposing she is innocent and they manage to prove her guilty—how will you feel then?” Sin shrugged his shoulders. He did not want to argue —it was not the right moment. But he saw that Gate was torturing himself almost beyond endurance., Though Gate could not see the point of view, Sin was capable of understanding Gate’s. “ ‘I could not love thee half so well loved not I honor more,’ ” ho quoted under his breath. “That’s what has got you by the throat, eh. Gate?” “A week or so ago you shouted heroically that wo should sacrifice ourselves and give Phyllis to Hertford, because her happiness came first. Now that he’s out of the way, you’ve changed your tune. You’re sacrificing her so that you may force her to marry you You’ll collar the thousand pounds reward as well, I suppose?”

Sin again shrugged his shoulders and smilingly shook his head. “Afraid you didn’t take my advice and go to bed early last night. You want twelve hours’ sleep, old mail, but.you won’t- get it now. Better call that taxi add come up to the Ingenue Theatre with mo.”

They had been walking down Regent Street, and now found themselves at Piccadilly Circus. Gato swung round on the pavement and stared at Sin as if he really thought he had taken leave of his senses. “Ingenue Theatre! I.<ook here, Sin—“Francks, the manager, wrote to Phyllis the other day offering her an engagement. She showed mo the letter. The salary was poor, it’s true—but still ! He’ll give her ten times that amount now. “It’s a brutal, vulgar age, Gat/?, but the public will pay anything to seo a woman who at any moment- may he arrested for murder, or a man who has punched another out of existence. I think we could persuade Morley Francks to -stand surety for the other live thousand pounds, and give Phyllis a contract at the same time.” While Sin was speaking he hailed the taxi-cab and pushed Peter Gate into it. “You’d better come along with me, because you’re known and I’m not. Y T our silk hat stands for all the virtues of the town.” Gate nodded, and knitted his brows, again staring at Sin. “I never thought of Francks. He knows her, you say ? Good! But she mustn’t appear in a theatre while this is hanging over her head ;it wouldn’t be right-—it wouldn’t be decent.” Sin gave vent to one of his peculiar little laughs. “Decent! Work is the only decent thing in the world, my dear fellow. Work’s the only tonic in the world, the only cure for all the misery and suffering in the world. And Phyllis is just going to begin to suffer. “Did you see her face when they led her away to-day? Brave and fearless as she is, careless of the world’s opinion, yet the world has already hurt her. Public opinion! Only a wastrel and a beggar such as 'I dare snap his fingers at it.” “But a theatre!” Gate stammered. “More beautiful than the streets, or a lonely hotel; more entertaining than a police court. She’ll refuse, I dare say, but we must make'her work. It’s her only chance. She mustn’t have timo to think. She has practically no friends left but you and mo. And I’m going away, and you, youfre not much good, Gate—not while you’re worrying your head as to whether she’s guilty or innocent.” “She is innocent,” Gate said between his teeth. “Your heart says that, but I can hoar your head contradicting it. You want to convince yourself and you can’t! Instead of fighting for her you’re fighting over her.” “And what the deuce are you doing?” Gate flared. Sin sat upright and brushed the rough tangled hair from his forehead. “Pm beginning to enjoy myself immensely. Hitherto I’ve just lived my life because I couldn’t help it. Nothing mattered to me, neither storm nor shine; good luck or had luck; love or hate; life or death. But now I’ve got something to live for.” The demon jealousy gleamed out from Peter Gate’s eyes. “You mean—” Sin rubbed his hands together; ho looked suddenly evil, imp-like. “The thousand pounds reward, Gate! Here we are at the Ingenue. Tumble out and send up your card to Francks; I haven’t got one.” Morley Francks was a busy man and a business man. Running a gTeat variety theatre is no light task, and

the Ingenue was the most fashionable in London. Ho admitted ho was both surprised and shocked at the news Peter Gate brought him, and when Sin brusquely came to the point and announced that lie expected him to go surety for five thousand pounds Mr. .Francks’s shock and surprise were redoubled .

>“Tho Ichbert case will be the sensation of the season,” Sin said quietly. “Miss Carlyle, as you know, is a clever actress and brilliant dancer. iShe’ll draw money anywhere. Tonight the papers will be full of nothing else but Aaron Ichbert and Phyllis Carlyle. There are some big ■and startling developments coming along.

‘‘Between ourselves, I’m quietly working them up. I found the fivepound note that made a sensation, and now I’ve found ihe man who originally got possession of it. ] hope very shortly to produce Aaron Ichbert himself, or what’s left of him.

•'The police, unfortunately, will keep Miss Carlyle well before the public eye. The newspapers will interview her and pluuograph her and tell all the romantic lies imaginable. You've only got to stick her name on the bills otuxidc your theatre and people u ill tumble- over themselves and pay double prices to see her. If you’re not quick, someone els? wili have snapped her up. “Moreover, if she’s playing at the Ingenue you’ll know your five thousand pounds is safe, and that she has no chance, of running away.”

Morley Francks rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and smiled at- Sin. “Ymr'ro -a good business man. Are you connected with our profession?” “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players—except myself! So said the prompt book.” Ho rose to his feet. “Well, what do you say?”

Francks made up his mind quickly. “I’ll come along at once. I’d like to see Miss Carlyle first.” Tie touched a bell by his side. “I’d better take a contract in my pocket.” “Yes,” Sin said, and he tugged Peter Gate, “for a hundred pounds a week.” Francks started. “Am I to understand you’re acting on Miss'Carlyle’s behalf as her agent?” “I am. A hundred a week. It’s no use haggling. If it’s too much, say so, and I’ll .go across to the Imperial.” He strode to the windows and flung them open. “Hark, the newspapers are out already. D'you hear what the boys are crying? ‘The Ichbert mystery—arrest of a famous actress.’ ”

’Morley Francks turned and said something to the clerk who entered the room, then put on his hat. “Very well, Mr. Sin, that’s a. deal. As soon as Miss Carlyle has signed the contract I’ll bo ready with my five thousand pounds, anti she shall bo free. She can ojx'n at once, I suppose?” “To-morrow night, I should think,” Sin replied carelessly. “She can spend the afternoon ordering frocks and tilings. I don't know much about that side of the business, but I suppose she’ll have to wear something!. Come along, there's a cab waiting downstairs to take us to Holloway.” In less than an hour’s time they bad reached the great gloomy prison. But they were a little late. Miss Carlyle had already received permission to receive a visitor—Lord Richard Egglington. Perhaps no one was more surprised than Phyllis herself when Lord Richard Egglington asked and obtained permission to« see her, shortly after her arrival in Holloway. She would have refused, but her solicitor, who was .just leaving, thought such a Step unwise; so he was admitted. There is nothing in the world like trouble for showing us clearly—-some-times kindly, sometimes brutally—who are our friends and our enemies. And there is nothing like trouble for giving us an insight into our own heart. Sorrow filches away the- hist rag of self-deception. Phyllis looked at Egglington and wondered how she had ever tolerated him for a moment. She felt a sense of physical repulsion at the touch of his hand. As ho looked at her out of his cold pale blue eyes her heart shrivelled up. and a Hush of shame ran through her 'body. This man had\ mado love to her ; once upon a time had almost persuaded her to marry him. Long ago she had believed his protestations of friendship to be genuine. She had accepted, his help—and at the thought of that her cheeks flamed. (She ought to' have guessed, she ought to have known, the type of man he was. She had , had some experience of the world, too. Y r ot she bad trusted him. It was as if she saw him now for the first time in his true

colors. He could not hide his r character, it was graven on his f

tures. Perhaps lie knew she had discovered all the worst side of his character, and he no longer took any pains to assume virtue lie did not possess. “I'm afraid you find yourself in a vory awkward, not to say serious, position,” Egglington said, taking her band, and holding it so tightly that she could not withdraw it at once. “I’m sorry.” “Thanks.” She retreated from him as far as she could, but lie followed her . And for tho first time she felt almost grateful for the. prison walls that surrounded ber and fbr the warder who watched and waited outside. This mail’s very presence made her suffer and filled her with fear.

(To be continued to-morrow.)