Her Day of Adversity

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2308, 28 November 1925, Page 6

Her Day of Adversity

By MRS. HATRICK MacGILL

"If thou faint In the day of adversity thy strength is small.” —Proverbs

FOR NEW READERS. AJ tho characters in this story aro purely fictitious. CAROL OLIVER got into the toils of JACOB STONE, a moneylender, by borrowing £lO from him to pay the funeral expanses of her mother, : who died suddenly leaving her alone and penniless. The man had, by carefully-laid plans and outward display of kindliness and generosity got her into his house nominally as a social secretary, but really as a gambling decoy.,-,Overpowered by her beauty and freshness, he foil in love with her, and did all In his power to keep DAVID HURRAY, a young man who renew all about his villianous dealings, from discover, ing Carol. David and Carol were in love with each other, but had lost sight of one another, because Lot. tie, the little maidservant, had lost David's card with his address. Carol, frightened and disgusted by tho happenings in STONE'S house tried to get away, but he told her ho intended to marry her. David ran across Lottie serving in a pub-lic-house. while in Bermondsey searching for Carol and took het into his confidence. CHARTER VII. (continued). Lottie Strikes Luck. “What makes you think that Hiss Oliver and I aro sweethearts?” hiasked, his voice lingering lovingly oa the charming old-lashioned word foi lovers.

Lottie raised her black eyebrows in comical amazement.

“Well ain’t you?” she inquired, anruptly. David Hurray shook his head dolefully. "She. doesn’t know —I've never had a chance to tell her that I love he., and it looks as if I never will,” he said, with all the gloom of one whose love affairs aro awry. Lottie eanod over the brightly polished counter and lightly touched the lapel of his coat with her little red' hand, and out of the depths of her shrewd, discerning sympathy, gave voice to a thought which would not have disgraced a seasoned philosopher. “Love is never wasted, Hr. Hurray, and you’ll find your girl all right, you mark my words. Seems os how troubles is sent to make us value ouch other a bit more. I dunno.” Lottie leaned her foce on her cupped palms, and suddenly she remembered something.

“I say, Mr. Mprray, do yer remcm. ber saying that you’d mention mo to a pal of yours, Gus Halkin. the big bug that bosses the music 'alls? Don’t say as you’ve forgot it now. It means such a lot to me.” The young eyes were so wistful that David resolved to let nothing stand in the way of the fulfillment oC his promise. "Yes, I remember quite well Lottie, and if I can do anything you’ve only got to ask,” said David, heartily, and he got his reward in the bright smile of gratitude that lit i}P the expres. sivo face like a burst of sunshine on a thundery day. “If Mr. Halkin could see a few of my imitations —all the big stars, I do, as well as anybody at a minute's notice —he might give me a trial, turn at one of the places he’s interested in. I don’t want to settle down < to life in a pub. I’ve got ambition, I ’ave, Mr, Murray,” and then Lottie revealed for the first time to a living soul the ambition that had burned like a white flame and kept her company throughout the long years of starving childhood, and, lately,., domestic service. under conditions which loft so much to be desired. “Look here, kiddie, could you pop your hut on and come along to lunch —Gus Halkin will probably be in his usual place—and I’ll do what I can right away,” offered David, who was more touched than he cared to show at the girl’s unconsciously pathetic little story. Lottie did not wait long enough to say “Thank you.” She danced off to interview her brother-in-law, who was the proprietor of the highly popular “Setting Sun.” and in less than five minutes she was hack again gaiTbed in a ■ hat and coat that drew every eye when, an hour later, the taxi which David had managed to sc. cure deposited them outside the dis. creetly gay little Pall Mall Restaurant ’in the Haymarket, next-door to the theatre of that name. David saw his man at his usual table in a far corner as soon as he entered the downstairs room and, to Gus Halkin’s instantly suppressed astonishment he introduced him to the raw, quaint, secretly terrified but game little creature who was later to leap into fame as Estelle Montague the Lightning Impressioniest, and sign contracts running into three figures for her weekly salary.

“Miss Montague is splendid at im. personations, and lightning impres. sions of people are her speciality. If anyone from the audience cared to step on to the stage and sing a verse of a song Miss Montague could impersonate them after only a few minutes’ study,” David informed him earnestly. The music-hall magnate shot a swift, keen,, “all-over"' look at “Estelle Montague," and decided to spend five minutes of his valuable time upon her.

There was something fresh in the idea of "lightning Impressions" of anybody In the audience, but besides that,, there was a.; certain little, scheme of his own requiring financial supnosU and knowing David’s re-

sources, he did not want to risk los. ing his friendship by turning: down his protegee without a hearing. “We'll take you across to the Ke. hoursal Theatre- afterwards .and see What you can do. I’m always on the look-out for fresh talent,” he told the young star of the future, with a kindly pat on her ' trembling mauvc-clad little shoulders. Afterwards at the Rehearsal Theatre in Maiden-lane, Lottie showed Gus Halkin what she could do, and when to try her “lightning impressions,” he sang the first verse of a popular song, he was so splendidly mimicked that he offered the -delighted Lottie a contract on the spot, anu gave minute instructions as to how she was to “dress” her turn.

“Oh, Mr. Murray, X can’t thlnrc or nothing to do for yer to show how grateful I am,” cried Lottie,, fervent, iy, when she and David were once more in the Strand. “But if there's anything that you can think or—” she added, wistfully, looking up at the tail handsome figure with big worshipping eyes.

‘Yes .there is something that you can do, Lottie, if you have the chance,” he said earnestly. “Ring me up at once if you ever see oi hear of Miss Oliver, and if she needs immediate help, you’ll do what you cun, I know,” finished David, with one’of the frank kindly smiles that always earned him the admiration of .ho opposite sex, regardless of age.

Lottie promised in the extravagantly emphatic language of her kind, which, if it were not so wellmeant, would be as horrible as n is forcible.

‘‘May my two hands drop off me, if I don’t do my best to he.p your girl, Mr. Murray,” said Lottie theatrically. She was waiting lor Big Ben to strike eleven before sne presented herself at Gus Halkin's office the next morning. The office boy mistook his master’s gesture of dissent for one of assent when he brought tidings of "Miss Lstelle Montague’s” presence by appointment in the outer office So it happened that she was shown into the Holy of Holies when Gus Halkin was in the midst of a telephone conversation. “Can I send you along anything fresh in the way of a turn? When for —to-night?” The music-hall magnate turned and saw his latest find standing by the door, clad, according to his in. structions, in a black coat.frock that shrieked its newness as well as its cheapnes.

An idea came to him which caused him to smile.

“I’ve got just what you want,” he laughed into the telephone. '“She does lightning impressions of people —can mimic you or your guests so that you'd think it was yourself speaking or singing. I’m fixing her up with a contract, but I want her to get some experience before I put her on. What about it, then? Righto! She’ll be along at twelve. Chin chin ” said Gus Halkin, by way of farewell, as he replaced the receiver. “I want you to blow along' about twelve to this address and give a'rew lightning impressions In your best stylo If you go down well, this man can put a good bit of work in youi way,” he continued, giving a swift upward glance at Lottie ,as ho drew forward a writing tablet on which he scribbled the name and address of Jacob Stone! CHAPTER VIII. STAR TURN. I say, Miss Oliver,'you promised me this fox-trot, you know.you did! And you want to cut it!” The tone in which Harvey Lester voiced his disappointment was just a shade too loud for strict sobriety, and his eyes—fine youthful blue eyes—were shining with that moist brightness which is peculiar to the individual who has been too free with the wine.

He was a magnificent fellow well over six feet, with a frank, fearless face that, somehow reminded Carol of David Murray. He was a wealthy young lumberman from the Canadian forests, who knew as rnnnh about life In a city like London as jacoo Stone who had him well in hand, knew about, the backwoods —and that was nothing. Harvey Lester was so exactly the type that swelled the usurer’s bank balance that he “hung on” to him with the tenacity of the traditional leach —flattering, entertaining—most of it free, at first —and finally drawing him into the circle of poker players to his own dk-inct advantage.

But since Carol had appeared at the parties, Harvey Lester had not been so keen on poker. However, since, he came night after night, and always played a game of some kind for the first part of the evening, Jacob Stone was indifferent to the fact that It was Carol, tho girl he himself loved, who was the magnet. He had warned Carol after the first night. “Don’t be so stand-offish with him. and don’t kick up a fuss over a few kisses if he wants them. You can’t very well pose as an injured innocent in a house like this, although, confound It you look like one, every damned minute. But” —and the fat, elderly moneylender, sensing the disgust and consequent spiritual remoteness from himself of the girl whose sweet voung Ideals he was constantly lowering to the dust, flung a powerful arm around the slim little waist, and pulling Carol roughly .towards hinv-kissed h<sr full on the llfla.

“You—you savage brute!" panted the outraged girl, catching her hreath in a. quick, Instantly suppressed sob of sheer misery. . ■'i ; Jact]b, Stone threw hack his head and laughed; a thick, throaty, mirthless laugh.

He seemed to take Carol’s expression of opinion as a compliment more than as a refllection upon his character. - - ■ “I suppose there’s a good deal of the savage In-mo, you say, my dear,’’ he addmitfed"'complacently, but I’m not brutal, except to those I dislike. I’m a'lajnb to those I love—and I love yo u you sweet child.’’ he added, a note ot seriousness creeping Into his voice, as ho came over to the wall, against which Carol was pressing her frightened, angry young body,’ as if she.were trying to force her way through it. j. ‘‘l love you as I’ve never loved any living thing, and Sooner or later, by fair means or foul—by any means that a mortal man can devise —, I’ll have you,” he said passion smouldering and finally leaping up in his eyes so that Carol's answer bravely begun died a/Way in a confused, indistinct miirmer, which, being interrupted, it was doubtful if the other even heard I’ll not be forced into marriage with you, or any otfier man,” Carol had said hut her words ohcited no rep’y Instead Jacob Stone had -repeated his instruction's about Harvey Hester.

Carol’s sick soul showed in every line of her sweet, mobile face as she let her lovely grey eyes wander over the excited, wine-flushed gamblers, many of them pitiably young, who, a few minutes previously ,had filled the seats at the card tables which were scattered fill over the floor of the richly deccrated room. .

But the game had broken up for an hour or two. Later on, it would be resumed, but just now Bundy and another man-servant were busy in clearing the lloor, in preparation for the dance i and the cabaret show which were to follow.

Carol had felt the young Canadian’s ~.yc s upon her all the evening following her every movement, and somehow. she felt sorry for him, in spite of his very evident wealth and spier, did manhood, so well equipped ,tf take care of itself in a physical sense Hut, although he took part in all the wild, lawless, time-wasting pursuits of Jacob Stone’s gang, yet in some queer fashion that her reason could not explain, Carol felt that he was not naturally bad dr'vicious;' it was just that the night life of London had enslav crl ills senses, gone to his head like un accustomed wine.

••I—i have a bad headache, Mr Lester.” said Carol, in excuse for not lumping her promise to dance. Instantly the young Canadian was all concern. “Let me fetch you something, Miss Oliver? Er —what is it that you girls lly to when you have headaches? Aspirin, isn’t it?” he asked, all his bluster of disappointment vanishing in pained realisation of Carol’s suffering. Then, an idea striking him —one that appealed greatly—he asked if site would let him take her for a stroll in the garden. But there was a note in his voice that Carol had learned to dread —h was horribly similar to that of Jacob Stone when he felt impelled to tell her how much he loved her —and she declined hastily. “Perhaps a dance will do me good after all,” Carol observed, standing up with a wraith of a smile around hoi childishly curved lips. An orchestra, consisting of five negroes, occupied a srna-.l raised platform at one end of the room, which was curtaiin-d • around with purple When it wa;> not in use.

Presently after two or three foxtrots, the negroes, who combined the duties of waiters and musicians would descend from the Platform and carry round 1 champagne to the guests. Then would commence an entertainment, remarkable for very little except for vulgarity, to Carol’s mind. She loathed the horrible, sug-, gestive songs, and felt ashamed of the half-naked, utterly brazen girls who seemed so dead to the modesty that should form the bedrock of every decent girl’s character. Occasionally, Jacob .Stone' gave his guests what he called “an extra tit bit” and on these occasions he always mounted the little platform to announce the turn. He did so to-night after the “Six Pocket Venuses" had given a display of living statuary, and ribald applause, with much clapping and unguarded remarks, greeted him. “A young lady is making her first appearance before my audience tonight, so if she’s a bit nervous, I hope you’ll excuse her. Her turn consists of lightning impressions of people she has never before seen, and any’body who cares to come up and sing a song can see himself as others see him, and no kid about It.” Carol felt intensely sorry for the girl, whoever she was, not on account of the fact that she might be nervous, at this, her first performance, but because it seemed terrible for anybody very young to make a first appearance in such a place. She waited with interest for the purple silk curtains to part, and then her heart gave such a mighty jump that it seemed to leap out of her body, for, standing demurely in the middle of the little platform, dressed to represent an easily recognised light of the variety stage, was Lottie, the young servant girl who had lost her job on her account.

It was an accident that Carol was sitting where Lottie's sharp eyes would f all on her immediately the curtains wore parted. To see Carol there was a great shock to the raw self-trained little comedienne, hut Lottie was too wildly anxious to make this, her first appearance, a success to give way to her astonishment.-

ahe impersonated, -well-known characters, and mimicked Jacob Stone’? guests, one after another, for ovar half-an-hour. But her eyes had reai the misery in Carol's face, and all the lime that she was working, at the bad-, of her sharp little mind she was planning soui a moans of grettins a f 9T?

minutes alone with Carol, •’Bravo!” , “Encore!” . ‘ Tho room resounded with applause as the quaintly humorous little creature finished her last irhporoonjitioa, and then, stepping do wit. from.„; the stage to bow, and deliberately edging as near as possible to Carol, she provided another sensation by falling flat , on the floor, to all appearances in a dead faint. She was almost at Carol's feet, ami it was Carol who got to her first, .lust in time to hear her whisper, fiercely, j‘"Manage so we can get a few minutes ! alone,” when Harvey Lester, with Jacob Stone following in a panic, rushed to s e e what was wrong with the now turn who had scored such a success. (To Be Continued.)