The Washington times., 1923-03-25

II you oOn W1tnOfaW CnaC
tence was never finished.
Valentine bitterly. "Billie's out on
the road playing lead in a rotten
revue called "That'll Be Ninepence.'
I'm stuck in town on my own, and
have just had most sinking in
tervicw with my uncle. He doesn't
want me to marry Billie, and won't
give me any money"
"Mean old swinev' said Olive
alphabetically. Whats his
trouble?'
ooh, God knows. Don't let's
talk about him. How are things
with you these days?"
Fine. l have had over thou
sand pounds in the last four
weeks"
"What does this old boy of
yours make his money out of? He
seems to have plenty of it,
Cotton, l think. He comes
from Manchester, and rejoices in
the name of John Smith. Didn't
| introduce you to him one night
soon after first met him?'
Don't remember it. What's he
like?"
Exactly what you'd expect
man named Smith, who has plenty
of money and lives in Manchester,
would be like. | don't see much
of him; he only comes to London
once or twice month. He wants
to finance show for me, because,
he says, it looks bad for me to be
spending SO much money and not
working. Can you beat it? He
says that if were playing a good
part everyone would think l was
earning a good salary"
"Well, there's lot of sense in
that"
eyes, but l can't be bothered.
When l tell him that l prefer to ,
do nothing he gets hopping mad
and says, Have you no ambition,
my child? Want to retire at your
age? Never heard of such thing;
try and do something in life"
Valentine stared at her in
amazement. 'Ts that a good imi-
tation IF your Mr.. John Smith,"
he asked eagerly.
"Of course it is-my impersona-
tions are always true to life; why,
| believe that the only thing that
makes John keen on me is the per-
feet imitation | do of Harry Well
DON"
ri don't think that" said Val
entine, otherwise he would have
given the thousand pounds you
mentioned to Harry Weldon direct.
Are you sure that John Smiths
name is really John Smith,"
Gone can't be sure of anything
nowadays, Val. He was introduced
to me at Murray's as John Smith.
and signs his checks in that name:"
"Tell me, is he tall, with rather
a red, clean-shaven face and gray
hair?"
"Yes-you do know him, them"
when are you expecting to see
him again."
He's coAning here to dinner to-
night"
Valentine rose slowly from his
chair. "Well, well, boys will be
boys" he said. 81 must be tod
ding along now, old thing"
"But why the hurry, and what's
all this mystery about John?"
ooh, nothing, dear child, moth
ing, only l thought for the moment
l knew him; it's my mistake"
At eleven o'clock that night Val
entine, having deposited his aunt
safely at her hotel in Dover street,
fastened up the stairs of Sable
Mansions with the acute realiza-
ton that it was now or never.
At the threshold of No. 10 he re-
ceived mis- first shock, and the sight
that met his gaze made him feel
that the fates were indeed with
him, for, by all that was wonder
full, the key of the front door was
projecting invitingly from the lock.
Valentine almost heard the $500 a
year rustling in his pocket, and in
another moment he was in the hall
and, turning the handle of the sit
ting-room door, stepped boldly into
the room.
Olive, who was sitting in an
armchair facing the door, sprang
to her FEET.
"Good heavens, VAL" she cried,
show on earth did you get in?"
AS she spoke man rose from
the armchair on the opposite side
of the fire, and turned fiercely
upon him. "What the devil is the
meaning of this intrusion?" he de-
manded.
Valentine stood mutely staring