Motion Picture Story Magazine (Feb-Jul 1911)

98 THE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE. She had started toward her husband, her arms outstretched and a smile forced to her trembling lips. Ealstone's face had grown black. It had no claim to good looks when his ugly nature looked thru it so frankly. He uttered an oath. "Why, you poor fool ! I make my living, and your's too, by cards. I'm a professional gambler !" She staggered back and fell into a chair, weak and trembling. Nellie Worthington was a clear-headed girl, and when misfortune came faced it, and did the best she could without a whimper. But she seemed to feel something break in her as she saw this scowling, furious man stand there defiantly and reveal himself at last as he Avas. Her child's father, and he had deliberately deceived her for months ! Her look, her attitude of recoil, added the last straw to Ealstone's ugly rage. The yellow streaks in him came out strong. "You don't like it? Well, you needn't have it. I'm tired of snooping back here and having to put up a bluff to you, with that mealy-faced look on you. When there's a brat squealing round it'll be ten times worse. I'm sick of it, I tell you. I quit, now. See? And when you're rid of me you can make a living as you did before. I'm no man for this domestic business. You'll get along all right. I'll never bother you again." He grabbed his hat, and flung out of the room, slamming the door behind him. She sat there, trembling, her face set with the horror of this abrupt, brutal desertion. Then, happily, the tears came, and she sobbed herself into some relief from her first ghastly despair. When she rallied, she drew a deep, long breath. He had killed her love, effectually. She saw him as he was, at last. And the cruel, selfish, streak in the man was not anything that her honest, tender nature could love ! But life was not over. She could make her living, and her child's. In due time, a little girl was born. How glad she was that it was not a boy, and that the little creature had her own eyes. If it had been a boy, and had looked like him — that would be unfortunate. Here was a stimulus for work as well as a support to her poor heart. Within a month after her baby's birth she had secured another theatrical engagement. Four years passed uneventfully. She was successful, as a rule, in getting engagements, and her little child was a great solace to her. But she felt as if love and she had met, and had parted forever. For the first time since Halstone had flung her off, she was filling an engagement in San Francisco. She had already learned that Ralstone had quitted the place on leaving her, and no one knew where he had drifted to. Not a word from him, or about him, for years. He was a good deserter. One matinee, a clear-faced young ranchman, accompanied by a pretty woman, very much resembling him, occupied a box of the theater. The young man was quite captivated by Miss Worthington. In fact, it was a case of love at first sight with Richard Westmore. He entrusted his sister, Marie, to get the actress to lunch with him at the hotel. She laughingly consented. "Only you don't want to get tangled up with an actress, Dick Westmore! You would be an easy mark, if you fell in love," she said, shaking her head wisely. "Marie, I have already fallen in love ! I'm it ! All you can do to get me out of it is to prove that she isn't the sweet little woman she looks. Get to know her, if you can, and if you think she's all right, and I'll wager my Nevada Ranch that she is ! Jump in, and boost things along, now, like a good sweet sister that you are." Miss Marie Westmore became thoroly of her brother's opinion after she had met Nellie. The two women proved to be very congenial and svmpathetic. As soon as her visitor departed (after Miss Westmore had engaged her to dine with her and her brother the following Sunday at their hotel) she hurried to her brother's room and reported. "She's just as sweet as peaches. and cream, Dick. She didn't seem inclined to come, when she found I wanted to