THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 293, 5 December 1908, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

* THE INFATUATION OF ERIC.

I fir By Arnold Uolsworthy. S, The smoking-room of the club was al>mo»t empty as Barton walked in with v " in* powerful stride that was charae?t>"trrbtfo of his movements. The two or €ji three men who were reading or chatting !: iliere looked up and smiled pleasantly, s_' fur Barton was a popular member of

$! the tlub. If he returned the smiles, hi y~, moWth wa» too much concealed by hi , heavy beard to reveal any of its won* |- lags; and his face, always grave an

v - stern, gave no sign of having relax, .i " a muscle. The men were, however, used 3. to Barton's unemotional features, for . it was known that they were no guide \,~ to the nature they were supposed to \ indicate.

* . It was generally understood that Barbs' ton had had some trouble early in life j ..-' and was still sulTeriug from the effects ]§t of it. Little was known of him except ~ ihat in business he had been a very fe-" aucee-isfiii man- hi the City his inttg- mates caiicd him " Lucky Barton" for |= hi" had a way of " getting things done"; %\ and more than one of his acquaintances {![' at the elub and elsewhere had gone 'o k~- Barton in a case of difficulty, and Barf.".. '.un had straightened out the eomplicaf*' tiou with surprising success. I—) Barton sat down in a leasurely way k; in one of the vacant armchairs, and he- %'' gan to look at the evening paper until f: dinner should he served. For Barton ft** always dined at the club—indeed, he t almost lived there. He did not seem to f' have any home ties, and when he was in not in the City he was generally to he |, found in the smoking-room. He had *• been toying with the paper for some | minutes, when a rilort thin man, with ?" a face that had anxiety written in evejy Bi line of it, peeped into the room with the |,;- words: is'r "Has anyone seen Barton?" K Barton looked up and caught the ncwBJr comer's eye. "Hallo, Dixon," he said. & "Want me"" r-' * Dixon's face wore a look of relief ti at once. He came into the room and K - eat down, while on various pretexts the

i other men went out and left the two ?> alone. hi >" It's about my boy, Bartoa," said ?_ Dixon, drawing his chair closer. " He's S; done with me. I daresay I've spoken §L freely, but there was a good deal of %. -that on both sides. And now lie's gone j*~ off with the ultimatum that he is to f, marry this—this woman, to-morrow £ morning." '* < "The music-hall dancer?" queried Bar-

f-r Dixon nodded. He and Barton were h> oW friends, and between «ucb, words are £ aot always essential. Barton had heard much of the story of young Eric's, m- {■„' fatuation for a lady, prominent in the ft.-world of eatertainment at the moment p- ss La Belle Marie, and he knew that the boy, having just inherited a tolerable e fortune, was spending foolishly large sums in costly presents for a lady .f %t. whom he knew nothing. But the news k -that Erie had decided to make the lady Jr. his wife brought a serious look to Bars'; ton's face. • !s>"" " Have you ever seen this lady J" Dix- £* on asked. $ 'Barton shook his head decidedly. " I (& haven't been to a theatre for twenty

fL years;' he said. " Not since—" and he &. "broke off suddenly as if it were a subp- ject he would prefer not to discuss, fe After a moment's pause, he turned i'~ abruptly to Dixon and went on: X the right man this time. You have ?-" often wondered why I never married. t"- Xow as a matter of fact I have been £, married. I did precisely wliat Eric is \p going to do. 1 quarrelled with my E- father and married a dancing girl." -; " You?" queried Dixon, sitting back t. - an 1 looking in astonishment at the £ soW, serious face of his friend.

% -\en," replied Barton. " I'm not go- §£ ing into particulars, but I will merely W" say that she was a pretty girl of eighS\ teen. Our marired life lasted six L months, aad then—" and he shrugged %'' his shoulders with a sigh. % "You divorced her?" Dixon asekd. i "*ihe divorced me," said Barton quiett— I} . " I was in love with her even then, % and 1 wanted to spare her. She gave y me an undertaking not to molest me or iv any of my friends—and 1 did not defend 6 the suit. I went abroad and tried to *, . forget. But this is past and done with," '" he went on with a sad dicker of a smile. * '"I mention it to show you that I can I,; go to your boy and convince him that £. I know what lam talking about, when j! I pi.suine to offer him advice. He's

1 still at bis chamber!! in .lerniyn Street, p ' 1 suppose?" J' llixon nodded assent. Then lie held sj out his hand, and his voice quivered a {£. little as he said: "1 don't know how |F I ian thank you enough. Barton. Jf

\g this thing happens, as the boy has E" threatened, it will break bis mothers $ -" heart. f "Weil," said Barton, "I can't work * . m'.:acles. !;ut the boy and 1 are on T-, ***>' good terms, and if-it comes to it, fi? 1 ijn teii li.it> even more than I have "-told you." fc After dinner, Barton strolled across E to Jeruiyn Street. Erie was out. He g would be out all the evening, his man It" »aid. But supper had been ordered for jgT eleven, as Mr. Eric was bringing a young lady and her. mother back. The young &■ (lady was to be married to him in the

-.. morning. >., Barton had no message to leave; he \ ■ gave his name and came away. While >5 he was walking slowly down the street ?'~ an omnibus passed bearing a flaming y poster, announcing that La Belle Marie ',. was to be sees nightly at the Mammoth ; Variety Theatre. Barton took his cue

M from that. Be hailed a cab and drove |"\ direct to tie theatre. Outside it a Y' huge poster presented the smiling girl-

s' - - like fate of La Belle Marie, aad he i: stopped for an instant to look at it in i> case it should reveal something ot the •£• secret of its fascination for Eric. f- It was a pleasing face. Barton hail 5 to admit this to himself, and the feelk, ing came to him that his task had be- „< come very much harder all at once. [S-* There was a sparkle in the dark eyes

t that reminded him of the eyes he had - loved too well twenty years before, and for the moment he felt a dangerous inC clination to sympathise with Eric. A » mass of heavy, blue-black hair crowned

1 - the shapely head, and with a sad smile % Barton reflected tliat he had once i" thought so much of trifles like that—

8 except that the object of his own ad- ;..' miration had possessed hair of the most

I perfect golden, hue. He entered the house, and walked about the promenade in the hope of meeting Eric. Then, glancing about him, . he caught sight of the young man himself, sitting with an air at conscious pride in the stage box. He at once sent bis card thither, and a few moments ; later he stood by Eric's side. " I hope you haven't come to discuss Marie, Mr. Barton," the young man said ' at once. " I know that my father feels Tery keenly about this business; but then, so do I. He belongs to a former generation, when actresses wore not the class of people they are now. If you've i-i come to breathe a word against .Marie,

p > tain your company. This is plain speak%i ing, I know; but you must forgive me. fc I'm very desperate about it." K. Barton sat down with a quiet smile.

t" Pray, don't imagine for a moment that I would presume to criticise the lady," ke said. "She is quite young, I believe." "I think ive are as nearly as possible ~ of the same age," said Eric, softened by Barton's diplomatic manner. He himself had just turned twenty-five. * "If you will permit me," said Barton, f with a view of gaining time, " I should l like to stay here and see the lady's performance." ;'.' "1 shall be delighted," said Eric, 'f . pleased to find the man whom he had If suspected to be an emissary from his r_- father appearing to share his youthful '$ enthusiasm. '•'And—look here," he add- "' ed. "I'm taking her and her mother . back to supper at my place. Won't you \ join us and complete the parly!"' \- "Certainty," agreed Barton, who was i" determined to lose no chance or cling1* fag to the young man till he could exKf plain his interference. "It is very kind c;' of you." [ The band struck u|> —a tumult of apjf. piause Bwelled through the house, led f- by Erie himself, and the next moment | Id Ttelle Marie, gorgeously dressed in Br' black and yellow, tripped on for her

1,. Spanish dance. She looked up for a Y - moment at the box. and smiled at Eric. »r while Barton snatched up the young 'Sf'. man's opera-glass and stepped back a &< It seemed incredible at Hip* tends shook so much that he could with £, VJiffirultv keen the gl-ir-s firinlv to his g; eyi>». It was she. The rich blue-black BJ- liatr had deceived Barton completely at tV. flr*t. but he had no longer any doubt. f~ looking still marvellously youthful. «'. rtill with much of the girl-like beauty that had vanquished him twenty years W Marie was bis divorced wife,

lie stooped to [lilt Hie opera-glass on a chair, but it fell from his trembling grasp, and his voice shook as he m,umured a conventional apology. "What's the matter, Mr." Barton?" said tile young man, suddenly noticing his confusion. "Are you ill!"

"It's nothing, thanks," replied Barton, picking up his hat. "I've not been very bright lately. I'll take a turn outside, and I shall be myself again. What time am I to be at your place?" "I've ordered supper for eleven," replied Eric. "You're sure you're all right?'' " Oh, quite, thanks," said Barton, with .1 reassuring laugh. And, promising to be at Jerniyn Snoot at the appointed time, he went out into the street to think. It was all »u w..uderful to him. A coil or two of hair, an adroit use of cosinel ies—and, in the sight ot a foolishly admiring boy, a woman of eight and thirty was transformed into a girl of twenty-live. And, to keep up the cruel delusion, she had acquired—a mother!

Barton arrived at Jerniyn Street immediately after Eric's brougham had set down its load. He had measured the time to a nicety. Erie met him in the dining-room. " The ladies are just taking off their hats," he said. "It will give me great pleasure to present you to my future wife."

Barton gave a slight bow of acknowledgment, and then looked at him as if in pursuance of some design. A tall lamp was near him, and, apparently without any particular object in view, he went and stood so that the rays fell upon his face: A moment later, the ladies entered.

" Marie," said Eric, " let me present an old friend—Mr. Barton." Barton did not bow. He stood where the light of the lamp fell full upon his face. The lady advanced with extended hand, and then she (stopped suddenly and grasped the back of a chair. '•My God!" she almost screamed. •'You!"

"What does this mean?'' said Eric, striding angrily up to Barton. " You have met this' lady before. 1 demand to know when and where." Barton brushed the lad aside, gently hut firmly. Turning to La Belle Marie, he said quietly: " There is a compact between us that you shall never molest me or mine, and "vou have always kept it. 1 ask you to keep it still. This gentleman is the son 01 one of my oldest friends," and he indicated Eric as he spoke. " Marie," said Erie with a trembling voice, taking her hand, " what does it all mean?"

Marie pushed him abruptly away and sank into a chair and burst out into wild laughter, which increased as she saw the young man's obvious concern. As soon as she could speak she turned to Bartou and said:

•'You're right. You were a white man to me, and, whatever 1 may be, nobody can say that I haven't always played the game. Look here, boy," she added to Eric, snatching a serviette from the table and rubbing it roughly over he r enamelled features, ''see those? Crow's feet, my dear. And that lovely hair that you loved to stroke, Eric. See here!"

As she spoke she snatched a number of jewelled pins from her raven locks and then lifted them bodily from her head, showing her own thin hair beneath, streaked with grey. •'Oh!" cried Eric, shutting out the sight with his hands. "It is horrible." Barton came forward and held out his hand, but Marie took no notice of it. " Don't follow me," she said to Eric; "I'm going now. Come, mother." And she strode from the room with something very like a suppressed sob. followed by her companion. Eric sank into a chair, a»<l Banna went and stood over him.

" Let's go down to my club and have •supper," he said quietly. "We might meet your father there."