Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

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8 Picture Show, December 25th, 1920. "Manacled By Money. Continued from pane 6.) playing, was quite enough to bewilder a stouter heart than his. \nd then she suddenly saw him there, shrinking against the door, a strange, dark figure in the 1 >'ig dressing-gown. The violin stopped with a squeak, and the girl stood petrified. It would be difficult to say which of them was the most afraid. It was Grace who found her tongue. Please, who — who are you ? " she said. At the sound of her voice Which had trembled, Arthur Weston recovered himself. The person, whoever she was, was flesh and blood, moreover, she was afraid. " What are you doing here ? How did ycu enter ? " he demanded. Oh, it is Mr, Weston ! How you startled mo ! You do look strange with that long coat thing on. I thought for the moment you must be a ghost." The relief in her voice was noticeable. " And may I ask how and why you came ? " He bowed towards her ironically. " 1 thought you and your servant must be away. Wo came and sang carol-, and the house was all so quiet. I do hope you will forgive in'-. I used to spend so many Ohristmases here in this very room, and J thought I would liko to see it just once again. It seems so strange, nothing appears to have been altered. It is such a dear old room, and holds so many happy memories for me." There was such a note of feeling and sincerity in tho girl's voice, that Arthur Weston began to feci that she spoke just as she really felt, and for Ike first time for a very long ti'mo he felt a i:limrner of interest for someone beside himself. " A young thing like you should not bother with the past," he said. "It is not. .until we have lost all that makes life worth while that we have memories.'' The last words were uttered under his breath. Grace went forward and placed a gentle hand on his arm. " Mr. Weston,' she said, in* her low, clear voice, " I was very frightened just now when I found I was not alone ; but now I am glad that 1 have seen you, I have so often wanted to speak to you. I met. your servant once back ih the summer. Did he tell you ? '.' Arthur mumbled something inaudible. Ho was wondering how the girl had got in. Tho question worried him. Grace went on talking. She was thinking entirely of the man beforo her. He looked ghastly in the moonlight, and ill. 'Mr. Weston, it is Christmas-time. Couldn't yen try and bury your grief for a time ? My lather, is getting old, and he feels very deeply your attitude towards him. Ho loved Jessica very dearly, as did wo all. Could you not let bygones bo bygones, and be friends with us again ? " Tho man looked down at hor, but tho words that trembled on his lips were not uttered. Quite suddenly it came to him that he. was acting foolishly by shutting himself entirely away as he had been doing. Ho had only that evening been deploring the fact that four more years must pass before he could make a move, but he had overlooked the Rev. Ferguson. Ho realised that by avoiding him he was hut placing fresh difficulties in his path for the future. " Did your father ask you to come and say this to me ? " ho asked in a low voice. " No. No one knows I have come here, and that reminds me, I must get bac k or I shall bo missed. But I know father and mother, too, would be very pleased if you would conio and lake dinner with us to-morrow." " 1 can't do that. I am a very poor men now, Miss Ferguson. I should not bo ablo to return your parents hospitality. 1 keep no ono with the exception of that old man you saw," he added quickly, with a suspicious glance at his companion.. Hut Grace was thinking only of his words. " Surely, Mr. Weston, you know us bet ter than that," she said. " Neither mothernor father w ould dream of expecting you to ask them back. Do not, please, let such a thonght as this keep yen away. Do say you will come ? Father. 1 know, will send the trap for you. We should all be so pleased." She paused, and her eloquent eyes finished the sentence for her. Arthur hesitated. " You really think vour father would like to see me to-morrow ? " he said. " I am quite sure of it ! " cried the girl eagerly. Arthur Weston drew a deep breath. '' Then you can teli your people I will come." " That is right." The girl held out her hand in the frank manner characteristic of hor. " The trap w ill call here, then, at six o'clock sharp." Arthur Weston took the hand and let it lie in his clasp. " Sixo'clock 1 w ill bo ready," he said gravely. Grace turned to go. Arthur walked by the side of her. Outside the room the girl stopped. , " It is very dark out here, we should have a light, ' she said laughingly. "' How did you get in ? " asked Arthur, unable to control his thoughts -any longer. The girl ignored the question. Out here on the landing "in the dark, a sudden, nameless horror had swept over her, she remembered the last time she had stood in the darkness on these stairs. Then Cecil Rae had been but a few paces away, Cecil Rae who had that very night met his death. At all costs she felt she could not tell Arthur Weston of the secret passage, that knowledgo belonged to Harry. It was his home, despite all the wills. "Where are you going-?' called Arthur as she began to descend the stair. Grace managed to force a little laugh. " I came in by one of the windows, hut 1 thought you would let me out properly through the door." " Yes — yes — of course." He followed her down, and with the aid of a match found the great rusty bolts. A few minutes later and Grace stood outside. "Good-bye and thank you," she said with a cheerful nod. " Don't forget to-morrow at six." And then with her violin tucked under her arm, she sped nwny like a wraith. Arthur watched her go, then after carefully bolting the door again, ho made his way cautiously into tho kitchen and secured a candle. Then with tho light held high he made his tour of tho house. Every window was carefully examined and tried. From the cellars to the attic he made the pilgrimage, but every window was carefully and firmly bolted as he had tlroughft At the final window he placed. tho candle on tho ledge and looked around, while a fearful expression passed over his face. " Curse all w omen ! " he, mutterod, under his breath. She lied ! She lied ! " There was no sleep for Arthur Weston that night. His castle was no longer safe. He remembered how Cecil Rao had somehow found an entrance. It had worried him nt tho time, but Cecil Rao was dead. Graco Ferguson also knew tho secret, and sho had lied to him rather than confess. Did this look like friendship t His first impulse was to refuse to go after all on tho morrow, and then almost immediately lie changed his mind. Ho must go. The rector knew the truth concerning tho will, and his daughter she also was dangerous, she know how to enter his stronghold. Ho must make a way to make her tell. A Christmas Surprise. GRACE* FERGUSON, radiant and triumphant, broke into the family gathering, which was comfortably seated round the lire in the pleasant old rectory sitting-room. Mrs, Ferguson was reading a pretty little 44 GIRLS' CINEMA." OUT TO-MORROW -2d. SPECIAL THIS WEEK! Splendid New Serial — " A GAY TIME WITH A MISER'S GOLD. FANCY DRESS ON THE FILMS. All the usual features. The "GIRLS' CINEMA.'' Christmas story to the children before they went to bed. Pleasant thoughts of Santa Claus were running in their childish heads, but they all glanced up eagerly when Grace darted into their midst. She was not usually an excitable person. "My dear, where have you been?" asked Mrs. Ferguson, glancing up from her book. " We have all finished dinner long ago. No one could think what had become of you." " 1 have been talking to Mr. Weston," announced the girl, her eyes glowing with excitement. "He was quite nice, but looks awfully ill. Mother, I invited him to dinner to-morrow-, and he has promised to come." " Well, that is delightful ! Poor fellow ! I am glad. I often have thought of him, ami wished he would see us. But how did you manage it ? " , . Grace went into a few details, but she did not tell her secret. " She was playing carols," sIjc said. Mrs. Ferguson, her motherly face one wreath of smiles, nodded her appreciation. " Well, go and have your dinner now. Cook promised to keep it hot for you," she said as she returned to the book. " Your father will be pleased when he hears your news." Grace went into the dining-room. The maid glanced round as she entered. " Miss Grace, how happy you look ! " she cried. " Did you meet him ? " ■ " Meet whom ? " asked the girl. " I havo been to Groystone Hall to see Mr. Weston. He is coming here to dine to-morrow." Xhe maid gave a startled little cry. " Oh, miss ! But surely you have seen someone else besides Mr. Weston ? You met someone on tho road, perhaps ? " " No, I don't think I did. I don't remember seeing anyone. Why, what is the matter ? What is wrong I" " Nothing, miss — at least, I hope not. After all, Mr. Weston is a very nice gentleman, though he do behave so strange." " What are you talking about ? " cried Grace. " 1 don't understand." For answer the maid cauio nearer, and. from the girl's soft hair she took the spray of mistletoe " I was only thinkine of this, miss," she said, half apologetically. " Do you mean to say you had forgotten it ? " Grace began to laugh, but she had to admit that the laugh was a failure. Tho same feeling of torror that she had experienced as she stood nlono with Arthur Weston on the darkened sUiirs suddenly swept over her again. " Oh, whatever made ine go ? " sho murmured helplessly under her breath. (Another instalment in next Monday's " PictureShow.") DO YOU KNOW? — That Marguerite Clark's father, A. J. Clark, was a prominent merchant of Cincinnati ? * ~ • * — That the second initial in Cecil B. de Mille's name stands for Blount ? * * • — That the father of Geraldine Farrnr was 0 professional baseball player ? -v » * * — That Elsie Ferguson was born in New York, August 19th, 1883 ? * * * • — That Raymond Hatton made his first appearance in pictures for Mack Sennet t , as an old Russian in a mob ? * * * — That at the ago of six. Vivian Martin was playing with Richard Mansfield in " Cyrano de Borcerac t " * • • — That Charles Ray„takes a keen interest in electrical experiments ? * * * ■ — That Henry B. Walthall was born on a cotton plantation in Alabama in 1878 ? * « * — That Bryant Washburn can trace his ancestry to the thirteenth century ? » » * — That probably his most noted relative of recent memory is his great uncle, Dwight L. Moody, the famous revivalist ? » » » — That he is an accomplished swimmer and also a writer ?