CREPE DE CHINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19415, 25 August 1926, Page 20

CREPE DE CHINE.

SHORT STORY*

BY NOR AH BUXTON.

Ninetto was putting tho finishing touches to her toilot for tho second act. Sho was going through tho process of making up in a kind of trance, and her cornflowcr-bluo eyes were dreamy as sho bent toward tho mirror and slowly applied tho lip-stick. A deafening buzz of conversation was going on in the dressing room, which sho shared with five other girls, but Ninette heeded it not. She was fully occupied with her thoughts, and they were rather wonderful ones. That very afternoon she had promised to marry Roger Last, a poor but promising barrister, " the man with a future," as he was called by his friends. Ho would be hero to-night. She knew exactly where to look for him. Sho could pick him out in a moment from tho blur of faces before her. Sho would draw in her breath, while a little thrill sfan through her frame when sho met his irteady gaze. " Where shall wo go to-night, Ninette, to celebrate the great occasion ?" Roger Last stood with Ninette at tho edge of the pavement outside tho theatre, after tho evening's performance. " Anywhere. That quiet little cafe we went to on Thursday. I'm too happy to care what I eat, and the music is good there." " Of course you've quite given up the idea of the Australian tour, haven't you ?" Roger inquired, as ho guided her to a table in a secluded corner. " Shall you bo very disappointed, and would it have been a very good thing for you ?" Ninette hesitated. " From a money point of view it would, but I don't care a bit." " I wonder how soon we could be married. You're such a lonely Little sprite, I feel I must take care of you," Roger continued. Ninetto smiled. " I've looked after myself now for seven years, I ought to bo able to manage it a bit longer, .but what about you, Roger? Some wise people think that marriage hinders a man's career."

"Oh tho devil take careers! I want you," said the rising barrister. " How long does your contract last. ?" " Five more -weeks, unless 1 sign for "the Australian tour. In that case it would l >e about seven months," " And you wou't sign ?" " Not if you really want me," Ninette replied diffidently. Ninette was lying in bed next morning, ■wrapped in a kind of dreamy haze, half sleeping, half waking, when suddenly the sound of the telephone outside her door jerked her into full consciousness. She felt certain the call was for her, and she swiftly jumped out of bed, When she returned a few moments later her blue eyes were clouded and perplexed. What could Roger's cousin want to see her for? Ho was coming round In less than an hour. Was it a question of money ? Or perhaps he was going to ask her to give up the stage, which -she had every intention of doing when she married Roger. She dressed carefully, taking rather, more pains than usual over the brushing of her short corn-coloured hair. Edward Last was a well-fed, rather I)ompous-looking man, with a large, lovine typo of face, his small, rather mean mouth contrasting oddly with the rest of his features.

" I want you to reconsider your engagement to my cousin, Miss—V " Frayle," put in Ninette. " Why ?" /'Because if ho marrries at present his career is in jeopardy.".

" Yoj mean if ho mitrrio3. irte,, though if Roger doesn't mind, I don't see that it. can matter to you." ~ • • ■ • ■ Edward Last fidgeted slightly with his imradculato • tic: • • ' • * • • *

■ 'iS'i/We have all got Roger's welfare and futtffe -very- mueh *at> •••hearty "and - wo- none of U3 want him to ruin what m&y, be a brilliant career by marrying—" he paused. ... «, " A chorus girl," supplemented Ninette. " What do ydu want me to do? GivQ ; .hjj», up meekly ?" Her voice was dangerously calm.

" JWcIK-cr —you pretty girls can generto console you. There are plenty of men with more money to burn than poor Roger. He's a comparatively poor man, you know. Girls like you can always pick and choose." .Ninette's face whitened, and she gripped the arm of her chair. " Yes, you're right, I "can choose. > I chose Roger because he is a gentleman, ahd not a cad like you." Her eyes blazed, She moved toward the door, and laid her hand upon the *handle>

" Then I am dismissed t" Edward Last smiled sardonically. "Bui you will think over what I have said ?" He held out his hand, which Ninette calmly ignored. . \; . • "I shall not think it-over," she said slowly. "On the* I shall try to fdrget iti Good, morning!" When the door had closed behind him, Ninette stood absolutely still for a moment, and two large tears welled slowly up into her eyes. Then quickly she pulled herself together. What could it matter what an outsider like Edward Last should say? She would forget it. But his words had gone deeper than she knew. '

Was it fate that led her to the deep cushioned divan in the lounge to, wait for him, where two people sat holding a half-whispered conversation ? The words she overheard put the fin#l seal upon her unhappiness. Tho woman, who ■was next to Ninette, was talking in a low, eager tone to a man. "It seems such- a pity, just at the very outlet of his career, to go and'get entangled with this little.dancer, and I'm quite certain that Diana cares for him still. She would make him such a splendid wife. She's got position, breeding and brains, and would be such a /wonderful help to him. What 'can' this creature do for him but drag him down, with her cheap ideas and her crepe do chine soul! Oh! they're all. tho same,-Michael "—as the man made a gesture of dissent. "I've known scores of them. Can't you do something to persuade him to patch it up with Di ? I'm sure he cares for her." Then suddenly they got up. and disappeared into the restaurant. ' ■ Ninette sat on with set lips arid unseeing eyes. "Crepci de chine soul." she kept repeating mechanically Her brain seemed incapable of working properly; If only she was not meeting Roger, then she would have had time to think things out. Something would have to bo done, and at once. Her first impulse was to tell him everything she had heard. He would reassure her, and set all her fears at rest. Then something seemed- suddenly to stab her brain into action. She would prove her love at the cost of her own happiness, and a few moments later, when Roger appeared in the doorway, full of apologies for his lateness, her mind was made up and her plan of campaign mapoed out. As they were leaving their table, a voice behind them caused Ninette to turn swiftly. "Hello, Roger! What a time it .is since I saw you ! " Roger turned quickly at the sound of the familia'r voice, and Ninetto found herself being introduced the mysterious Diana, a tall, dark girl, whose undeniable beauty, coupled with her ultra-fashionable attire, rather took her breath away. In spite of the welcoming smile, the warm, red lips, and rich colouring, the impression that. Ninetto got was one of hardness. "Who is this Diana?" Ninette casually asked, after thoy had left her, and were walking rather aimlessly down Oxford Street. " Oh, we've been friends for years. Michael Turner, I)i's. cousin, is a great friend of mine. You must meet him," Roger added. . " She seemed to think you had rather neglected them lately," Ninette went on- " Did you see a Jot of them at one time ?" " I went there a good deal last year. Her. father helped me considerably—he's at the Irish Bar, you know. Di's a good sort.'' . And there thq subject dropped. That night Ninette arrived at the theatre early, and in consequence had the dressing room to herself for half an hour, looked into the mirror, and the eyes

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that wero reflected thero were sombre. Could it really havo been only last night that she had bubbled over with happiness and tho joy of living ? She set her teeth. That very ovening sue meant to begin her task of disillusioning Roger. It would tako all her courage to act the part, and she was also going to sign tho contract, for the Australian tour. She firmly believed that she was acting for the best — for Roger at any rate. Of herself she thought nothing, except to wonder when tho dull ache in tho region of her heart would wear itself out. Sho was dressed and ready, standing at tho high-barred window, glancing down at the busy thoroughfare below with misty eyes, when tho harsh voice of Julia broke in upon her thoughts. " What do you think ? Olive's engaged ! No more dingy lodgings and recooked meat for her. She's frightfully bucked. Why!—what's the matter, kid? Got the hump ? " Ninette shook her head. " I've got a pain," was all she said. Julia, immediately solicitous, offered her an aspirin, which Ninette, with an inward smile, graciously accepted. A feeling of intense relief swept over her when she found that Michael Turner was to make a third at supper that night. It was cowardly, she know, but by his coming sho was spared the intimacy of an hour alone with Roger, and to-night she meant to shoot the dart that would bring about the first shock of disillusionment, and it was Michael who unconsciously gave her the opening she was waiting for. " Norton seems rather worried about this Australian tour. The juvenille lead met with a pretty serious motor accident tho other day, and they don't think he can possibly'bo patched up in time to leave with tho company. I suppose you're going, Miss Frayle ? " Ninette opened her . lips to speak, but Roger fore- 1 stalled her. •

" No, she isn't. . We may be married in a week or-two," he said, and tho note of finality in his voice flicked Ninette into a sudden defiance. Although she was trembling slightly, her voice was cool and unruffled as she turned to him. " I've been thinking things over, Roger, and 1 rather think I shall go. I should bo a fool to miss such an opportunity. There seems no sense in turning one's back on a good thing when it comes." She watched the effect of her words and saw him wince, and he thought " It's the money she wants. She's afraid of being poor with me, and she certainly would bo p«or, at any rate at first. Oh! they're all the same,"these girls; they'll go to the highest bidder! " He was desperately huyt,'.and she knew it; knew it by the expression in his ey6s, the taut lines round his usually mobile mouth, and she longed with all her being to ask his forgiveness. To say that she did not mean it. But this was no place in which to indulge in heroics, moreover the.waiter was at Roger's elbow. "You're wanted on the telephone, sir." Roger jumped up. "Excuse me, you two. It will be Hammond wanting to speak to mo about some books that, he's getting for me;" and ho hurried off.

Ninette turned to ; Michael. She would have liked to havo told this quiet-voiced, grey-haired man everything. Sho had the feeling that' he,' too, had suffered, and could solve her problems for her. "Were Roger and Diana ever engaged?" ,she asked, suddenly—so suddenly that she hardly recognised her' own voice. Michael Turner started.". He had been.completely lbst in thought. " Yes, but why do you ask.?"

"I.donjt know. I—l just wondered," Ninette replied, striving to make her voice sound casual. Then she added rather irre- > -Levantly, " You know I'm not much of a social climber, I'd rather go to a picnic with the local dustman and .his wife, if they were jolly, than drink china tea and eat buns on the fringe of society." Ninette undressed by a guttering candle (the gas having been turned off by a cautious landlady), and slipped into bed, and for the first ".timo for many years, indulged in tho luxury of tears, and next morning the contract for 1 the Australian. tour was duly signed. As tho weeks v went on, and she had been in Australia some time, Roger's letters began to grow scarcer, the result of her own purposely scrappy notes to him, the writing of which really hurt her more than she ever imagined anything could hurt. How she ached to tell him how desperately she missed him. It was a dreary November' day when she found herself once more walking down the familiar London streets. She was looking wonderfully well. A little older, perhaps. A trifle more assured, with tho calm, steady look of one who has won through. 'Almost unconsciously she discovered that she was looking about her, as if searching for something or someone, but she failed to realise that it was tho tall, straight form of Roger Last that she looked for in vain. Then suddenly she felt a touch on her arm, and turning swiftly che looked up into the kindly humorous eyes of Michael Turnfer. " Welcome back, Miss, Frayle," he said genially. " I'm just in time to take you for lunch—that is if you're not lunching with anyone else." _ . \ , ."Thank you," replied Ninette, and was grateful that he chose an unfamiliar place. She realised that she was really hungry, for she had been wandering rather aimlessly round for soyie time. Also she realised what a truly good sort Michael Turner was. That ho was interesting, and most" vividly alive, and young m his. thoughts, in spite of: his i rather lined face, and prematurely grey I hair. • ; They had almost finished lunch before Roger" Last's name was mentioned. Ninetto instinctively felt that Michael was purposely steering "clear of any reference tb'him. Ho had several times engineered the conversation into safe channels, when suddenly Ninetto made the plunge. "How's Roger? It's some time since I heard from him." The.lack of emotion in her voice astonished her. She looked across the table, and met the steel-grey eyes, those deep-set eyes, so full of humour, and yet which held in their depths a trace of suffering. They dropped swiftly before the searching blue ones, and' the long, nervous fingers clenched suddenly. ' 1 • ' ■ " Roger and Diana were married last Wednesday." His voice was low, so low that Ninette scarcely caught the words, and she guessed at the effort it cost him to tell her.' For a moment she was silent. " A«d you think they will be happy ? Ido hope so." Her words were perfectly genuine, and Michael looked up sharplv, astounded by the cairn manner in which she had received tho news. Then sho had "never really cared for Roger! His heart gave a little throb. Then perhaps— Suddenly lie realised that Ninette was speaking. She was doing what she had wanted to do months and months ago; to pour oui the whole of her troubles into Michael Turner's sympathetic ear. " And you cared for him as much as ail that! Few girls would have done what you have done." Michael said, when she came to the end of her narrative. v Ninette bent her' head, -and a queer little smile, half cynical, half tender, curved her lips. " I cared for him more than I ever thought it possible to care for'anyone. Things will never be quite the same again for me, but I have no re-grets,-for the fact that ho could marry without even letting me know has made me realise that we should never have been happy together." 'That is where the sting lies.". . Six months later, as they tramped togcther over the Downs in the failing lirrht of a spring day Ninette turned °to Michael: Then you are not afraid to ma-rry someone with a crepe de chine so'. 1 ' ?" U° r eyes were mischievous, and Michael lurner, the man poor in worldly goods, but rich in the joy of living, smiled. " Crepe de chine is a most durable fabric—that is if you get the best quality as I have dene. And you—you have no regrets ?" • " N6t one," Ninette replied, as she slipped her arm through his, and trudged valiantly on through the deepening twi-