The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-10-27

"But what? You see, I'm bound to report to my friend
 Your friend!' broke out Loveland. 1 losing his head. You are going to marry him! You don't deny it.'' l She laughed gently. ''Why should I deny tito you? Have you any right l to question me or bring me to book about anything, MT. Gordon?" "I know I have no right" he admit 1 ted. Forgive me-" To her he was /! now only Gordon, the actor, who had i stolen Sidney Cremer's play. The past was to be forgotten
 ''I must remind you again. Lesley went on, in a cool, businesslike man. ner, though her eyes were starry. that you mustn't go on using Sidney r Cremer's p1ay.'
 l we have no intention of doing so,' said Loveland. And then in as few words as possible, without any attempt at defending himself for his part in the transaction, he explained baldly that the manager had deserted the company and that they had only one piece, Lord Bob.'' They had produced it for three nights in the hope of making money enough to get away, but the result had proved disappoint- ing.
 l My affairs are rather in a muddle just now,'' Loveland finished, "but as soon as I get them strengthened out again, which expect to do shortly, l will myself pay MT. Cremer's fees for these performances if you'll let me know what they are.'' ] "Oh, Sidney wouldn't want you to do that" the girl explained. "I-neither of us knew that the company was in trouble. I can answer for Sidney as if it were for myself. If only you give me your word, Lord Lo-I mean MT. Gordon-that these people won't go about the country playing this piece I'll ask nothing more."
 "You may set MT. Cremer's mind at rest about that,''. Loveland answered i bitterly. ''They aren't likely to go about the country playing any piece" {" "You mean they-you-are stranded here?' inquired Lesley.
 "Oh, I'm all right" Love1and said hurriedly, far from wishing to pose as an object of pity. 'fIts the others I'm thinking Of" She gave him a quick, clear look. Would you go away and leave them here in troubIe?'' she asked 'tNo; I won't do that replied Val. ''I mean to do something for them Wont there be money enough from 1 these three performances of Lord Bob to pay their railroad fares some whereF'
 'tI'm afraid not, hardly enough to settle with the landlord and get him to release their luggage. which he's keeping till last weeks board bills are paid.'
 'Your luggage too?'' Loveland grew red. ''I haven't any.''
 "Oh" The color flew to her cheeks. as if in sympathy with the flush she could not help seeing on his. ''No l trunks P
 'FYou say you readN the newspapers g said Loveland eff you did you per- haps saw-that the hotel people in New York treated me rather curiously. I didn't read the stuff myself. I really couldn't bring myself to do it. But I gathered from hints given me here and there that the journalists had a pretty rough game with me- | 'tYou had a game with them, to be- gin with,' said Lesley. | F1 shut my door in the face of one on my first day in New York; Love land admitted. Next day I hadn't a door to shut. America hasn't been very | hospitable to me-
 What could you expect? Americans don't like having tricks played on them"
 ''I played no tricks
 'fYou played Q part-the part of Lord Loveland.''
 Val stared. How can a man play that he's himseif?''
 DO you deny the newspaper accu- sations then?''
 3FWhat accusa tions? I did knock a man down in the street, and he gave his own version of the story" EOh, I don't mean that story, but quite another, the story he said you knocked him down for aIluding to- when''-
 3'Were talking at cross purposes 9 broke in Loveland, bewildered. ''For the sake of any friendship you may ever have had for me, though I'm not asking you to continue it in future, explain what you mean
 But do you mean that you read nothing, heard nothing of what they were saying about you in New York ?''
 T told you I wouldn't look at the papers. What I heard I of course 1 took for granted was in connection with fha hotel affair and tho rou in