Picture Show (May-Oct 1920)

s PicluH Show, October lbih, 1920. "The Price & Honour." [Cont^:V)rom Galloway looked down at Irma Gale, and his eyes held hers for a moment. " I want to introduce you," he said. " This is Miss Gale — Miss Athalie Railton. Miss Gale fainted when I came into the room." " I am so sorry ! " said Athalie, -with ready sympathy. " Can I do anything ? " I am all right, now," smiled Miss Gale. " Are you a friend of Mr. Mallet's ? " asked Athalie. " Not a very old friend," said Miss Gale. " I met Mr. Mallet on board the Sweet Alice." " Miss Gale was picked up in one of the boats," interrupted Galloway. " She was taken to Pernambuco, and has only just got back to this country." " If it had not been for Mr. G , Mallet, I should never have left the wreck," said Miss Gale. Galloway laughed. " Miss Gale is giving me more credit than I am entitled to," he remarked. " I am sure she would have been saved without my help. But let us come in to tea. Miss Gale will join us. " A Change of Character. TO Galloway the tea jvas rather a grim business. He felt that he was in the grip of forces too strong for him, which were hurrying hint down a rocky steep to disaster. And the spirit of rebellion still held him. Every time he looked at Athalie his resolution grew weaker. He knew it had to come to catastrophe and discovery in the end. But why throw away the gift which was his before he was forced to ? Irma Gale played her part surprisingly. She addressed him always as Mr. Mallet. Why, he did not know, but he had an uncomfortable feeling that that last embrace on the deck of the Sweet Alice had something to do with it. Also, he caught her looking at Athalie now and then, and there was something sinister in her look which made him shiver. He wondered what was in her mind. That was the worst of women. You could never tell what they would do in given circumstances. Irma Gale had struck him as a rather frivolous, light-hearted, good-natured girl when he first played up to her girlish advances on the voyage from Africa. Later, in the stress of tragic circumstances, she had revealed a depth and feverishness of emotion which had surprised him. There might be more surprises in store for him yet, and he rather fancied there way. When Galloway went to see Athalio] and her father off, Irma Gale waited behind. She gave him a look which told him quite plainly that she had something else to say. She went into the library, and saw on the writing table the letter which John had written to his old friend and partner, Billy O'Karrel. Picking up]the letter, Miss Gale noticed that the flip of the envelope was only partly stuck down. She recognised the name. Both Galloway and Dyson Mallet had spoken to her about their partner who had stayed behind in the so-called gold mine in Rhodesia to look after their interests — and incidentally to discover the wonderful strike which was to make them all rich. She turned it over twice, frowning, and then proved that she was a girl of very small scruples by deftly inserting a paper knife under the flap of the envelope and lifting it. On some reasoning of her own she felt that she had an interest in this man and a claim on him. Had lie not taken her in his arms on the deck of the Sweet Alice, and kissed her. As she drew out the letter she had perhaps some qualms of conscience, but these sho swiftly quieted by comparing her conduct with his. On his own confession ho was playing a dishonourable game deliberately and callously. For what end he was playing she did not know. At first she had imagined that it wus for money and worldly considerations. But, since seeing Athalie Railton, and reading, as she very quickly did, the open secret in the girl's eyes, she wondered whether money was the incentive after all. She took out the letter. Eight pages closely written. She had only road two of them whon she saw through the window Galloway returning, after he had shown his guests as far as the drivo gates. But thoso two pages were thrillingly interest ing, and at all costs she knew that she must read the rest. Quickly she snatched half a dozen sheets of plain notepaper from the stationery cabinet, folded them neatly, and placed them in the envelope. There was enough gum left to stick it down securely, which she did. The letter she placed in her bosom, and returned to the room in which they had had tea. There Galloway found her. Directly their eyes crossed he knew it was to be a battle, and he set his teeth grimly. " Well," he said quietly. " I can see you have come to a deoision. What are you going to do 1 " " I have," returned Miss Gale, straightening herself. There was no sign of weakness or faintness now. She was breathing quickly through distended nostrils, and her small hands were clenched. " When you first told me that you were posing as another man, living in his housa and on his money. I did not know what your object was. Now I think I know. You are out for all you can get." Galloway shrugged his shoulders and made no answer. The girl was showing one more side of her character, and he was secretly marvelling at it. " You have got no principles," she continued hotly, " or, if you have, you have thrown them over. Very well, I throw mine over also. You remember our parting on the deck of the Sweet Alice, when we both . thought we should never see each other again ? He nodded gloomily. " You took me in your arms and — kissed me. To you I suppose that meant nothing, less than nothing. I was a poor, weak girl, hysterical with fear. You did it to quiet me, as you would have kissed a child. That is how you explained it to yourself if you took the trouble to explain it at all. But do you know what that meant to mo ? " Galloway shook his head. " It meant that I loved you. I loved you before ; but in that moment the ordinary conventionalities were forgotten, as they are now. And I took it that you meant the same. Ever since I have been grieving for you as a lost lover." She stopped, out of breath. " I am very sorry, Miss Gale," ^aid Galloway gravely. " You mean that you are not in love with me. That — that kiss meant nothing to you ? " You force me to speak plainly, Miss Gale. I am not in love with you ; I never have been. As for that incident, when we parted on the deck of the Sweet Alice, I think you do me an injustice to read into it moro than was intended. I acted on impulse. Like you, I believed we should never meet again. My impulse was to give you what comfort I could. You know yourself that it would never havo occurred if it had not been for the tragic circumstances in which we were caught. It %vas a perfectly natural impulse. 1 am not ashamed of it." " You kissed me as you would have kissed a child ? " " Exactly." " Well, I will show you that I am not a child." His face hardened. " Do you mean that for a threat ? '* " I cortainly do." returned Miss Gale. " Who is this girl you had here to-day ? " " I introduced her as Miss Athalio Railton. That is her name," returned Galloway coldly. " But who is she ? What is she to you ? I am asking you a question, Mr. Galloway, and I demand an answer." " I prefer not to discuss Miss Railton with you." • Her lip curled in a bitter sneer. " I am not good enough to discuss her with, is that it ? Well, we shall see. You are in love with her. That is why I am forgotten. That is why the kiss you gave mo was a child's kiss. I think I can see through you pretty well, Mr. Galloway. I was good enough for you when you wero penniless and a nobody. Now you see a better chance for yourself, and I am forgotten." " I think we shall do hotter to end this discussion," said Galloway abruptly. " No good can come of it, and it is not very dignified." The fighting look which Billy O'Farrol know so well had come into his face. His eyes glinted ominously. " What do I enro about dignity ! " cried the girl. " And who are you to talk about it when you are living under another man's name and in his house ? Now, listen to me, Mr. Galleway, then choose your own course. Ycfu are not content with stealing a dead man's identity, you are trying to marry his sweetheart. Oh, you need not glare ! I know the girl. Dyson Mallet, showed me her photograph, and told me he was going to marry her. You come here posing as Dyson Mallet, and you think you are going to marry her yourself. Well, you are not ! Is that plain ? " Galloway shrugged his shoulders wearily. " I have told you that I am not going to discuss Miss Railton. If you have anything further to say please say it quickly." " It will not take me long," returned the girl. " You are in a pretty considerable mess, Mr. Galloway. I offer you a way out." " What is it ? " " Marry me." Galloway laughed. " Blackmail ? " he said. " If you like. I am not afraid to contrast my conduct with yours. If you refuse, I shall tell the truth about you." " I refuse," returned Galloway calmly. " Go and tell the truth and be done with it. I have told it myself several times, and have not been believed. You will probably find yourself in the same position." She looked at him incredulously. " I may tell you," continued Galloway calmly, " that 1 shall deny your story ; and as the lawyers and everybody else are satisfied with my identity, you will probably find yourself regarded as a harmless lunatic. I have plenty of proof that I am Dyson Mallet, and I shall keep to that character as long as it suits me." And I havo proof that you are not," said the girl. " You will find that your unsupported word will not stand for much." " I havo more than my unsupported word," returned Trma Gale.^ " Once more I advise you to accept my terms. Marry me, and I will say anything you wish." " You aro making a mistake, Miss Gale," said Galloway. " I know as well as you do that I cannot keep up this masquerade indefinitely. I don't wish to. I shall expose myself when the time comes, and take whatever approbrium is coming to me. Meanwhile I am not spending a penny of Dysnn Mallet's estate except what it costs to keep me, and as I am looking after matters I consider I am entitled to that for ivagos." " Ah ! " breathed the girl. " I can seo through you now. You will keep on *his deception until you have married Miss Railton. Then you will have her money, and can afford to drop the other." Galloway turned on his heel and walked out of tho room. He hoard Miss Gale go a few minutes later. Some time afterwards he saw the letter to Billy O'Farrol lying on the table in tho library, and took it out to the villago pillar box. He had now reached a completely reckless fraino of mind, in which he left himself entirely in the hands of fate. He argued that a confession now at tho eleventh hour would do very little to palliate his offence, so he might as well await discovery. On tho way back from tho village he diverged from his course in order to walk past tho house of tho Railtons by the field path. It was dusk now, and as ho approached ho saw Athalie alone in the garden. The field path was at the back of tho house, and Athalie was walking on tho lawn in front, but ho could seo her. A sudden fierce impulse came to him to go to her at once and toll her everything. Ho had his hand on the rail of the stilA, and was about to vault over when he saw somebody coining down tho drivo. It was Irma Gale. Sho went straight to Athalie. They stood for a moment close together in deep conversation. Thon they both went into the house. « In tho shadowy field path Galloway watched the door for a quarter of an hour. Then Irma Gale camo out alone, and walked away down tho drive. " And that's that ! " muttorod John Galloway, as ho turned and walked sombrely homo. (.•lnofAer fine instalment in next Mom/ay's Picture Show.)