The Girl a Million Knew

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 49, 3 April 1914, Page 3

The Girl a Million Knew

[Copyright.]

CHAPTER XXI— (Continued.) THE PLOT FOR CHRISTINE'S < DOWNFALL. Blank amazement showed on Christine's face. She, said nothing. "If you don't believe mej have a look at this,'' cried Leila, and flourished the Olympic programme in the other'- girl's face. Here's his name on the' programme. The posters were already out, or his name would have been there too." - * "Very well," said Christine, glancing at it. "I'm very glad he did write it. Everybody says it was one of the best things of the show." - _ "Don't try to come the little innocent over me. You'll pretend you don't know what I'm getting at?" "-I haven't the least idea," returned Christine, spiritedly. "If that is all you have to tell me I'll be going." "Oh, 110, you won't. You'll hear what I've to say firsi." With the words Leila stepped between her enemy and the . door. " It's plain enough to me, and to you too, I guess. From the way you take it you probably know all about it already. Were you in it yourself, I wonder?" Christine faced her straightly. "Look here," she cried, with rising temper, "what do you mean?" Then Leila delivered her thunderbolt. "If they want to know who the thief was, the thief who let the Pharos down, they'd better go to Dick Tempest. That's what I mean.- For he's the man.'' Christine shrank back. Then courage swept back into her and vibrated in her angry voice. "How dare you say such things? Dick's the soul of honour. -You wouldn't dare say it, only that you're mad with jealousy of me." Leila laughed mockingly in return, but into her face a dull flush sprang. That blow of Christine's had struck home with its truth. But then she saw Christine's face, pale and very troubled. It was all right. She deed not fear. The venom had dones its work. "You'd better tell that to those .who'll accuse him," Leila cried. Then, forcing herself to speak calmly, she went on: "Work it out for yourself. Dick's been scribbling these last three years; he's done very little good. Who ever heard of him? And then, all of a sudden, Max Faweett gives him a whole act to SO, and it -happens to turn out a .success. Why?" There was no word from Christine. She was breathing hard. For she remembered that time she had gone to call on Holiday, and had found Dick there, alone in his flat. ' "Nothing much to that, perhaps you think, though I'd differ from you. But \l've thought this thing out; there's Nsomething else to join on.'' Exultantly Leila noted again her enemy's face, her enemy's silence. "A fortnight ago I wanted to see Dick; I went to his flat; his servant let me in, and I waited there half an hour, my girl, and Dick was upstairs in Alan Holiday's flat all the time. And I know Holiday wasn't in. It's as plain as daylight. Dick gets hold of these things for Faweett, and for reward, or part of the reward, Faweett commissions him to do the dirty job, to write round the sketches, and the rest of it. I guess what I know would be quite enough for George Cardinal. What do you say?" Still Christine was silent. Once more Leila mocked her. "You're not so free with your speech now. You can't get away from it; your very face shows that you're thinking just the same as me. It's a different tune to sing to, isn't it? If I take my story to the Governor, where will Dick Tempest be?" The quick vision of danger for the man she loved removed the barried and let free Christine's speech. "But you won't do that?" she cried, appealinglv. "You can't do it. It would ruin him. Besides, it isn't true. It can't be possible. There must be some mistake." "Then," retorted Leila, swiftly, "there can be no harm done in giving him the chance to explain it. Say, you wanted to clear off a moment ago. You don't seem in such a hurry now. I am. I've got no more time to waste."

(By HERBERT SHAW, author of "The House of Many Secrets/' etc.)

"Miss Mayne!" Leila had reached the door. She stopped. "Well, what is it?" "Surely you'll give Dick a chance to explain?" "Yes, sure thing, I will. But it's to George Cardinal that he'll explain. I'm going to him this very minute." "No, no!" cried Christine, in a voice that rang with despair. In the face of Leila's news it was impossible for her believe that Dick had yielded to a sudden temptation, but it was horrible to think of the disgrace that must follow. It meant good-bye to his career.. She put an appealing hand on Leila's arm. "I'd do anything to save Dick!'' she exclaimed, with increasing desperate entreaty. '' Miss Mayne, I'd do anything you like! '' Leila Mayne laughed again, stariug hard at her the while. 1 ' I tell you the chance I 'll give him,'' she said. ."If you chuck up your job at the Pharos and leave the theatre for good, I 'll keep my mouth shut. If you 're fool enough to be so precious fond of him, there's your chance. I don't care a button whether you take it or not." Christine's hand dropped to her side. There was a little pause. This fierce ultimatum of her enemy meant the sacrifice of all her ambition. Then she gave her answer, in a low voice and scornful. * "Very well. I accept your condition. I'll write to resign this afternoon." Raising her eyes, she looked steadily at the other woman. Leila's face was lit with a triumph she could not. repress. '' Sometimes I wonder why you hate me so," said Christine slowly. "There'll come a day—l feel it, I know it —when you'll regret with all your heart your -hate of me and the bargain you have jusf made." "I never regret," retorted Leila with a laugh. "Life's too short. You were up against me from the start, and now I shan't be bothered with you any more. That's all I care." She slammed the door, leaving Christine in the dressing room. For a while the girl stood there motionless, with dull, unseeing eyes. Then she dropped listlessly into the chair before the dressing table. With this new blow, this dreadful doubting of T)ick, the world seemed to have ended. Slid felt inexpressibly tired and beaten. But Leila's evil work was not yet done. This day should see the downfall of Christine without question. It was not enough that she should leave the theatre. She must leave it in disgrace. Leila's plan, so simple, yet so complete in its craftiness, was worthy even of Florence Kent, though Leila's own brain had conceived it without assistance. She was standing before George Cardinal 's door. Waiting a moment to be certain that he was alone, she pushed boldly in. The Governor looked up wearily. The sense of betrayal and the bitterness of having been fooled for the benefit of Max Faweett had been too much for Cardinal, and the sleepless night had been the last touch to banish his usual good humour. The morning, spent in many interrogations, in a vain endeavour to solve the mystery of the traitor, had degenerated into a series of explosions of rage and of temper. They had left him tired and shaken, without decreasing his anger in the least. Leila gave him no chance to speak. "You haven't found out anything yet?" As Cardinal shook his head she plunged on rapidly. "I want you to. understand I 'lll not accusing anybody. I just came to tell you what was in my mind; I leave the rest to you. It's right you should know everything. Have you asked the Eden girl any questions, or haven't you ? Tell me that." "No!" Cardinal spoke sharply. '' Why on eartli should I ? *' "Ask her, then," retorted Leila, unembarrassed, "that's all. Why? Because Alan Holiday's spoony 011 her. She's been to his place dozens of times; he and Slade gave up all their evenings to coaching her for that first show of hers in ' The Golden Lady.' As thick as thieves they are, Holiday and she." - CHAPTER Xtfll. THE TRIUMPH OF LEILA MAYNE. "Steady, Leila. Hold on a moment." George Cardinal spoke stiffly. "You've no cause to like Miss Eden.

I know. An' if you're going to jump accusations against other people in the theatre, why, they ought to be here! That's only fair!" But he spoke without confidence. For strangely in his mind was that hour on the previous night®when, in his questioning of Alan Holiday, the latter had hesitated to give Christine's name as one of his visitors. By all his knowledge of men, it couldn't be! And 'yet "Who says -I'm accusing people," Leila rapped in, unabashed. " I'm accusing nobody. I'm just telling you what's in my mind, Governor. And if you don't.want to hear any more, I'll quit!" She turned quickly, and her hand was already on the door. Cardinal, beside himself, shaken in confidence, took it to bo a natural, impulsive movement, instead of the clever feint it was. It deceived him. '' You mean it's only suspicion on your part ? " "Call.it what you like. It's what I'm thinking. You can hear it or not, a-i you please! " "Go on." said Cardinal. "It. won't take me long. I've told you one thing, and I know it to be truth. The girl was down at Alan Holiday's place evening after evening. Then there's another thing you don't know, and I guess you should —it's not pleasant for me to come here with it. I don't care a brass farthing about the girl. I'm only thinking about the theatre.'' There was an effective pause. Again Cardinal murmured, e 1 Go on.'' stooped across the table and played her trump card. "It's something I meant to have toll you before. I ought to have told y v.i before. Ask Christine Eden what the* .3 is between herself and Max Faweett. You might get a clue to the business there!'' The Governor gave a violent start. The muscles of his face worked convulsively before he spoke. "What do you mean?" he exclaimed. "Oh, I mean nothing. I leave what it means, or what it doesn't mean, to cleverer people than me. But what do you know of the Eden girl, anyway? She strikes the Pharos, and before you can say 'Knife,' she's it with a capital 'l.'w-That's all right, but you can't wonwfer I don't like the girl. I admit I don't." George Cardinal drummed at the table with his fingers. This ostensible frankness of his informant was having its effect. "I'll tell you this," continued Leila, impressively. "She comes here, and she sees Holiday, and she gets his X>romise that he 'll do his best to persuade you to take her on in the cliprus. I'm not speaking blind—you can verify it all for yourself. . That same night she goes to' Max Faweett's flat, and at 1 o'clock in the morning she's still with Faweett. She's a quick mover, you can stake your life 011 that. Whether Faweett sent her to the Pharos originally I can't tgjl you. But it looks like she was one of Max Faweett's girls. What? How does it strike you? " There could have been nothing better calculated to strengthen in George Cardinal's mind the suspicion Leila had so cunningly planted. As she watched his face closely she told herself that her plan was good and her work indeed well done. Cardinal spoke from dry lips. '' How do you know she was at Faweett's place?" '' I've friends in the next fla v t,'' lied Leila, glibly. "Faweett and the girl were making such a row chattering on the balcony that they noticed her. I recognised her at once from their description. But don't take it from me, for goodness sake. Ask lier vourself. i 1 'lll off." j She gathered her bag from the table; I the bangles jingled on lier wrists. It was no pretence this time; she knew the value of a good exit. "Wait a minute!" the man cried. 4 < Did '' But LeiJa had gone. George Cardinal sat there without stirring, all the evil suspicions she had so subtly sown revolving in his mind, the restless fingers still tapping upon the table. By jove, but that would be just like Faweett, the "dirty hound! A spy deliberately sent into the camp of his enemy. A pretty girl—a girl of talent —in his pay! If she had got round Alan Holiday, it would be dead easy for her some time or other to find an opportunity of taking those sketches. (To be continued to-morrow.)