LOVERS THREE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3829, 12 May 1913, Page 3

LOVERS THREE.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]

BY ARTHUR APPLiN (Author of "Robert Aiks’ Wife,” "The Stolen Heiress,” "The Chi.ru Girl,” Etc.}. ' " Still she did not speak. She could not. Almost against her will she was considering his proposal, weighing up her chances. As his wife, the world would still respect her. And she might have a chance of making her own life later on.

Loneliness and poverty, the ghosts that ever haunted a single woman, would no longer threaten her. She would be rich, "and wealth buys so much! It would buy amusement and forgetfulness, perhaps. It would buy companionship. But it would not buy love, the crown of life. But she did not love. The chances were she would never love now. Again she put up her hands to hide herself from Egglington. Those dreadful, cold blue eyes were devouring her.

As she shut them out she suddenly saw the eyes of another man—great, curious eyes, full of derams and visions; brave and dog-like. They seemed to be looking right her eyes, down into the depths of her soul.

The blood in her veins grew"hot again; it coursed swiftly through her body. She felt herself uplifted, and she felt an imaginary pair of arms around her, holding her tight and close. *

Suddenly a. scream rent the air. A pair of arms were around her holding her in a vice, and hot lips touched hers. Then with both hands she pushed Egglington away, striking at him blindly. "You fool!’’ he whispered.

-He waited a moment. Someone passed outside. Phyllis laughed jjthe warder passed and they were alone again.

“Is that your answer?” Egglington whispered. She did not Jove, Phyllis assured herself. She.did not love. Yet the eyes which for a moment looked into hers with a world of love in them, were the eyes of Sin. She felt his presence in the room; she almost fancied she heard his voice. If she loved him, and if he really loved her, then life in a garret with love were paradise compared to existence with this man, though he loaded her with jewels and money. "Give me a week—a few days—to think it over.” "Yes, or no, now.” v Phyllis turned her back on Lord Egglington and dropped into the chair he had vacated. "No!” She heard him move away and then the voice of the warder. Egglington turned as he reached tire door. "Good-bve,” he said quietly. "If you alter your mind before to-night, they’ll let you telegraph to me. After to-night .it will be too late.” As Lord Richard Egglington passed out of the building three men entered —Peter Gate, Morley Francks, and Sin. Egglington stopped and stared. Gate took no notice of him, but Sin smiled pleasantly. "Has his lordship forestalled us?”

Egglington knew what he meant; ho looked him up and down, then laughed contemptuously. It was some time before they were allowed to see Phyllis, but when eventually they were admitted they found her in'tears. It was the first time Gate or Sin had seen her really broken down in spirit. Morley Francks tried to say the conventional things, but Sin stopped him. ".We just want you to sign this, little contract,” he said, as if he were asking her the most ordinary thing in the world. "Here’s a fountain pen. Put your name here—do you see? Mr Francks is going to be your surety. To-night you’ll be free; to-morrow or the day after you’ll be at work. Now take a pen and sign—and please don’t ask questions, it’s such a waste of time.”

She looked at him with streaming eyes, wonderinglv, helplessly, like a child. "I don’t understand ”

"Of course you don’t.” Gate would have explained, but Sin stopped him. "You’ve only got to obey. We’ve seen your solicitor—met him outside. Everything’s all right. Just sign this paper. As soon as we’ve got the order for your release, one of us will return and fetch you and we’ll dine together.”

Phyllis signed her name. She would have done anything Sin told her at that moment. .

“That’s right!” the latter said cheerily. Ho turned to Francks. “I suppose Miss Carlyle will want to rehearse to-morrow; she can ring you up from the hotel by-and-byc. Or I’ll trot along after dinner and see you. It’s no use worrying her now. she’s evidently tired.” . “My dear sir,” Francks expostulated.

Sin pushed the contract into his hands. “That’s all you want, isn’t it? Now come along round to the polico .court or we shall ho too late.” He bundled the two men through the door and was going himself when Phyllis called him back. “Lord Richard Egglington was here a moment ago. He came—to ” “I know. ,1 know,” Sin replied gently. “And now lie’s gone to—• —” She smiled through her tears. “You have saved me.”

He kissed her hand. “I haven’t, but I‘m going to,” lie whispered under ,his breath as he turned away lyOnce again Phyllis stopped him “Why? Because you said you loved me?”

“No,” ho said almost sternly. “I’m going to save you because I like doing the impossible. I. like hunting down my quarry. I’m going to start to-morrow as soon as you’re safe. I shall not return until I’ve found him.” “Found—who?”' “Aaron Ichbert.”

That same night the three friends were re-united. They had, indeed, p right to the sacred name of friendship now, for so far they had stood together through sorrow, and suffering, and doubt. Lovers there had been, but iiow one had. gone; and whatever else was left,' the two rivals during the last twentyjour hours had proved the strength and purity of their friendship for one another. .

Phyllis, Sin, Peter Gate and Morley Francks lined together at Phyllis’s hotel. The meal was thoroughly Bohemian, and, considering the circumstances, quite enjoyable. Sin surpassed himself. Not until the meal was finished and coffee and cigarettes arrived was business discussed, and then it was only the business of the theatre. Sin knew by instinct—or. perhaps he read — Phyllis’s thoughts and fears, and before she made her objections lie quashed them. However, ho realised the impossbility of her appearing at the Ingenue at twenty-four hours’ notice, and she was given five days in which to make preparations.

Morley Francks left feeling he had done a good stroke of business, and Gate’s objections were practically dispelled. When the three friends found themselves alone a sudden silence did fall on them, and with it a sense of embarrassment. They all sat round a blazing fire piled .up with logs of wood which Sin had insisted on the hotel providing. He snuggled into an armchair, closed his eyes and lit a dirty little briarwood pipe. Peter Gate fidgetter with a cigar, and at his suggestion Phyllis lit a cigarette, but it quickly fell from her nerveless fingers into the grate. "I want to thank you both —hut I can’t,” she said eventually. ‘v*> much has happened during the last few hours. I’ve been dragged down in the depths and I’ve stood for a moment on the highest pinnacle and seen—the stars.”

"Only those who go down can hope to ascend,” Sin said under his breath. "It’s funny how few people remember the greatest miracle.” Phyllis sighed. "But the future! I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but the future still frightens me.” "As soon as you start work you won’t have time to worry about the future,” Sin said cheerily. "I’m going to work, t-00, for the first time in my life. I’m feeling awfully keen on it. It’s a funny thing, but all my plans might have gone wrong if Fate hadn’t stepped in at tiie critical moment.

“A few weeks ago I heard that a respected and respectable uncle ol mine had gone the way of all flesh, in other words lie had made his exit fropi tho stage of life,- a little Jat-er on I received a summons, too late to be obeyed, requesting my attendance at his funeral. Seven days ago I was informed that ho had left me five hundred without his blessing. I. had a very narrow escape, for I happened to be bis nearest relative, and lie died worth fifty thousand pounds. Imagine my feelings if I bad to cai ry about fifty thousand pounds for the rest of my life.” Sin shuddered, and lie was not acting. “To-morrow I’m going over to France. I may travel about Europe for several weeks. It never entered my stupid head, that I should want money for railway fares, so this little legacy, which at any time would have been an awful nuisance, comes in useful.”

'Peter Cate looked up, many emotions mirrored in his eyes — hope, pleasure: “You’re going away? What for?” fi l told Phyllis this afternoon. To find Aaron Ichbert.” “He’s dead. Of that there is no doubt.” Sin puffed a. cloud of smoke from his briar pipe. “Perhaps you’re right. Then I’m going to find his ghost—the man who has boon spending liis money. Someone crossed from Dover to Calais a week or so after lehbert’s disappearance, changing some of the notes which had been issued to Ichbert by the Central and City Bank. This man was lost sight of in Calais. I shall be lost sight of in Calais. “A little later on someone resembling him was haunting; tho cafes in Paris in the Latin Quarter, and a few more bank notes were changer there. I shall haunt flic Latin Quarter. Just the sort of place where I shall feel at home. Now. tho average Englishman in the Latin Quarter in Paris is about as much at home as a man-o’-war would be on. the Serpentine. “An English detective ” lie nfadfe an expressive gesture. “That’s -why this mysterious individual who lias been spending Ichbert’s money hasn’t been discovered. The police being baffled, naturally came to the conclusion that this unknown man was Hertford, He. was missing from Pin-ner-for two or three, days at any rate, wasn’t he?”

Phyllis nodded. “I’ve seen the purser of the CalaisDover boat, and from the description he gave mo I’m quite sure it wasn’t Hertford. But it might have been Lord Richard Egglington.’

Sin closed biff eyes again and puffed away at his pipe. He waited until the tense .silence was broken by a single exclamation from Gate. ‘My heavens! Eggiington ! That idea never entered my head. Egglington I All through this case, his behavious has been mysterious, suspicious even. But the motive, Sin! What motive could he have to wav‘lay and rob Ichbcrt?” (To be Continued To-morrow.)