The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-25


Lady Ferringhall. sir"
Lady Ferringhall-alone?" Ennisor
exclaimed
Quite alone, sir"
Ennison was dismayed.
For heavens sake, Dunster, don't
let her out of the carriage, or han
som, or whatever she came in. Say
I'm out, away, anything"
Il am sorry, SIR" the man answered
but she had sent away her hanson be-
fore L answered the bell. She Is In the
hall now. l."
The door was flung open. Annabel
entered.
Forgive my coming in" she said to
Ennison. Il heard your voices and the
hall is draughty. What is the matter
with you?''
Dunster had withdrawn discreetly.
Ennison's manner was certainly not
one OF willing host.
I cannot pretend that I am glad to
see you, Lady Ferringhall," he said
quietly. For your own sake let me beg
OF you not TO stay for a moment Dun
ster viii fetch you a cab. l."
She threw herself into an easy chair.
She was unusually pale and her eyes
were brilliant. Never had she seemed
10 him so much like Anna
You needn't be worried" she said
quietly The conventions do not mat
ter one little bit. You VIII agree with
me when you have heard what I have
TO say. For me that is all over and
done with"
Lady Ferringhalll ANIMAL" he ex-
claimed
She fixed her brilliant eyes upon him.
Suppose you call me by my proper
name, she said quietly. Call me An
Mabel"
He started. back as though he had
been shot
"Annabel?'' he exclaimed. THAT is
your sisters name"
No, mine.'
1t came upon him like fash. Innu-
merable little puzzles were instantly
solved. He could only wonder that this
amazing thing had remained so long a
secret to him. He remembered little
whispered speeches of hers, so like the
Annabel of Paris. so unlike the woman
he loved. a hundred little things should
have told him long ago. Nevertheless II
was overwhelming.
But your hair" he gasped.
Dyed"
And your fgure?"
ones corsetiere arranges that. My
friend. 1 am only grieved that you OF
all others should have been so deceived.
l have seen you with Anna, and have
not known whether to be glad or sorry.
l have been in torment all the while
TO know whether it was TO Anna or 10
Annabel that you were making love so
charmingly. Nigel, do you know that
1 have been very jealous?'
He avoided the invitation Of her eyes.
He was, indeed. still in the throes of
his bewilderment.
But Sir John?' he exclaimed. What
made you marry him? What made you
leave Paris without word to any one
What made you and your sister ex-
change identities?"
There is one answer to all these
questions. Nigel" she said, with a
nervous little shudder. cit is a hateful
story. Come close to me and let me
hold your hand, dear. 1 am a little
afraid"
There was a strange look in her face,
the look Of a frightened child Ennison
seemed TO feel already the shadow Of
tragedy approaching He stood by her
side, and he suffered her hands to rest
in his
you remember the man in Paris who
used to follow me about-Meysey Hill
they called him?''
He nodded.
Miserable hounder," he murmured.
Turned out to be an impostor. too"
He imposed on me-" Annabel con-
tinued. I believed that he was the
great lti-millionaire. He worried
me to marry him 1 let him take me
TO the English Embassy, and We went
through some sort Of a ceremony. 1
thought It would be magnificent to
have a great house in Paris and more
money than any other woman. After
ward we started for dejeuner in mo-
tor. On the way he confessed He was
not Meysey Hill, but an Englishman or
business, and he had only a small in
come Every one took him for the mil
I'd he a6 acf n
me. I-well. lost my temper. struck
him across the face, twisted the steer
ing wheel of the motor, sprang out my
self and left him for dead on the road
with the motor on top Of him. This is
the first act"
Served the beast right" Ennison de-
clared. Il think l can tell you some
thing which may be very good news
for you presently. But go on"
Act two" she continued. Enter
Sir John, very honest, very much in
love with me. / thought that Hill was
dead, but 1 was frightened and 1 want
ed TO get away from Paris. Sir John
heard gossip about us-about Anna
the recluse, a paragon of virtue. and
Annabel, alias Alcide, a dancer at the
cafes chantants. and concerning whom
there were many stories which were
false, and a few-which were true. L
we'll, borrowed Annals name. ] made
her my unwilling confederate Sir
John followed me TO London and mar
ried me- To this day he and every one
else thinks that he married Anna
Act three. Anna comes 10 London
She is poor, and she will take nothing
from my husband, the man she had de-
ceived for my sake, and he. on his
part, gravely disapproves Of her as Al
eide. She tries every way OF earning
living and fails. Then she goes to a
dramatic agent. Curiously enough
nothing will persuade him that she is
not AIcide. He believes that she denies
it simply because owing TO my mar
riage with Sir John. whom they call
the Puritan Knight she wants to keep
her identity secret. He forces an en-
gagement upon her. She never calls
herself Alcide 1t is the press who finds
her out She is the image Of what
was like and she has a better voice.
Then enter Mr.. Hill again-alive. He
meets Anna and claims her as his wife.
1t is Anna again who stands between
me and ruin"
81 cannot let you go on" Ennison in
terrupted. II believe that can give
81