The evening world. Newspaper, October 1, 1921, Page 16

eal “Im no richer than I was a month ago,” he said in a hard voi, He raised his hat and strode away to Lady Mary's. Phillis was coming down the stairs, ready for walking. Her pretty face flushed a little as she met Billy’s eyes. “I want to speak to you,” he said. “Will you please wait a moment?” “She frowned and followed him into the drawing room. “Is it true that you were a mannequin in Elise’s?” The color receded from her cheeks. “What if it is true?’ she asked. “You ought to have told me.” Billy spoke angrily. “All London will be talking about it and laughing at me.” “Oh, you need not look so scornful. If you despise me because I have had ta (rn my own living, what do you imagine I think of you for being will- ing to pretend to be engaged to me for the money you think I've got?#? “But Furnival hag got hold of the story, and he'll see that the papers get hold of the truth. I was a fool to ever have anything to do with you; I"—— She stopped him with a gesture. “You need say no more,” she said, proudly. “I set you free of my own free will. I told Lady Mary I would leave her house to-day and so I shall.” “You can't! Think of the scandal! Think of—Phillis! You don't mean what you say, Listen to me, dear! I spoke hastily. But it was a bit of shock to find—to—hear”’—— He caught her unwilling hand in his, “Listen to me, Phillis! I'll do all I can fo help you if you'll only give up this old man Seldon. He has a wife.” “I know all about his wife.” “Phillis, I beg of you.” She drew her hand away, wearily. “You need not concern yourself with what a mannequin from Elise’s chooses to make of her life. You are quite free from me If I have shamed and troubled you I've paid for it well TI hope we shall never meet again.” “You speak of your money,” said the Hon. Billy, fiercely. “Do you think I’va touched a halfpenny of it? When you _ leave us I shall give it all back to you. I'm ashamed of the part I've played.” “You need not be. I persuaded you into it.” Suddenly she flung her héad down on her outstretched arm and burst into tears, “Phillls!” Billy made an agitated stride toward her. “Don't ery. If I've been a brute it’s not been because—be- cause” He stopped helpless'y. What could he, a man broke to the wide world, say to thig woman, with her wealth and beauty? A servant tapped at the door and en- tered. “Lord Seldon has called, please, miss.” Phillis dabbed at her tear-wet eyes, “Ask him to wait. Say I am just coming,” she said. She adjusted ber veil at the mirror, took up the big fur coat and left the room. ANXIOUS MOMENTS. ILLY was trying to eat his dinner B in solitary wretchedness when Lady Mary burst into his room unannounced “Oh, Billy, such a dreadful thing has happened! Phillis—Phillis!” Lady Mary burst into tears, “She's pone. There was 4 note on her dress- tog table.” “Well, she can't have gone very far.” Billy tried to speak steadily. “We must find her and bring ner back.” “Wait, Billy, wait!” she said, implor- tingly. “Billy, Phillis—Phillis ‘has gone with Lord Seldon, ' ‘ THE EVENING WORLD'S FICTION SECTION, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1921. wy J zs “What!” stone, “But Seldon is a married man,” he eaid, hoarsely. “She knew that Seldon was a married man. Oh, my God!” He flung himself down, hiding his face in his hands, Pierce tapped at the door. “The car, Please, sir.” Billy staggered to his feet. Pierce’s solemn eyes searched his young master’s face with a world of knowledge in them, “Beg pardon, sir,” he said suddenly. “Beg pardon, sir, but have you heard about the accident to Lord Seldon, sir?” “What accident, what accident, man? For heaven's sake speak out,” gasped Billy. “Motor accident, sir; car skidded in Brompton Road and upset. His Lord- ship fell on his head, and picked up dead,” said Pierce, stolidly. “Good God!” “There wag @ lady with His Lordship too, sir. Not injured, sir; the paper Billy stood as if turned te “MR. said that”"——— But Billy had flung open the door and was tearing down the stairs, Lady Mary followed pell-mell. She tumbled into the car right on to Billy. “Where are we going, Billy?” Lady Mary asked, trembling. “We'll go back to your house first,” said Billy, grimly. “She may have gone there” He sprang out of the car before !t stopped; he rushed up the steps and rung the bell. Lady Mary followed hard on his heels, They asked the footman in the game breath: “Has Miss Clyne come in?” A flicker of surprise crossed the man’s well-trained features, “Yes, madam,” he said. Billy strode past Lady Mary and into the drawing room. It was empty. “In my boudoir perhaps,” said Lady Mary in a whisper. Billy went up the stairs two at a time, Phillis sat huddled by the fire. “You're not hurt?” he asked her, gen- tly. She shook her head without looking up. “How did you get here?” “I-slipped away while they were pick- ing him up. “Oh, Billy, .Billy!” She began to sob, great, tearless sobs. Billy took her hand in his and heli it gently. “Poor chap—poor chap!" he said aloud. It seemed’ impossible that Lord Seldon could be lying dead and cold! And it might have been Phillis! He bent snddenly and kissed the fingérs he held passionately. , “Thank God you're safe!" he said. She began to sob again. “What must you think.of me?” Billy swallowed hard. “I blame myself. But, Phillis, you knew he was a married man, you knew he could not marry you.” She rose to her feet; her gray eyes, wide and incredulous, looked into his, “What do you mean?” she asked, in @ curiously hushed voice. “What do you mean, that he could not marry me? I—I"—— She began to langh, shrill, hysterical laughter. “Oh, did you think I was in love with him? That he was jn. love with me?” “What else could we think? What could any one think.” of Ab ad “He was my—father!"” she said, duly. “He married my mother when he was quite a young man.” Phillis began, slow- ly. “She was a girl in a shop, and they kept the marriage a secret at first—he was dependent on his people—anad afterward—-when he came into the title, I suppose—he was asliamed of her! My mother died when I was born. An old aunt of my mother’s brought me up, and when she died—a year ago—shie told me my father was Lord Seldon. I wrote to him once and he returned my letter through his secretary. Thea J borrowed some money—I told the whole story to a man who was interested in me. I wanted to meet my father on his own ground, face to face, and tlien to tell him who I was. He never guessed until that night at the Clarence's ball. Mr, Furnival saw Lord Seldon kiss me. He aska me to go and live with him, and said he would ac- knowledge me to all the world as his daughter. We were going abroad until the surprise had blown over. We meant to have gone tomight, and then —oh, poor father, poor father!” she broke down into bitter sobbing. Billy looked at her with miserable eyes. Next Saturday’s Complete Story :: :: Now the gulf between them was wider than ever. He spoke at last. Lord Seldon had been wealthy. “I beg your pardon for what 1 thought—you might have told me. As you are his daughter there will be his money and the estates”—— - “I don’t want his money.’ She stood up, looking at him across the firelight. “Was Lord Seldon very rich?” she asked. “I believe so.” “You: told me once that you would never marry a woman for her money,” she said, almost timidly. “I meant it,” said Billy, doggedly. “Then—then what is the use of my letting every one know I am his daugh- ter?” she asked. “I don’t understand,” stiffly. “Perhaps you don’t want to,” she whispered, . His face flamed suddenly, “Phillis!” “Oh, Billy,” she said, in a tremulous whisper. “What dol want with monty if—if, you wont Inok at me? Oh Biity, won't you be nice to me if I tell you that I am ‘broke’ too?” Billy said, TET _ a eae FURNIVAL SAW LORD SELDON KISS ME.” “Phillis!” “It's quite true,” she went on “fF haven't a shilling in the world except what I gave you for being engaged to me, and, of course, we have to give that back to the man who lent it to mel I don't want to be rich, but’"—— Billy took her in his arms and kissed her. But the truth came after all, when Lord Seldon's will was read—the will he had made the night before his death, in which he left everything he possessed to his “dear daughter Phillis.” Billy and Phillis were married two days before Christmas, “Phil,” said Billy, with all a bride- groom's humility, “are you sure—sure that you really love me?” “Quite, quite sure!’ she echoed, grave- ly. “And—oh—Billy"—— “Sweetheart!” She snuggled her head against jis shoulder, “It is rather nice not to be ‘broke’ any more, isn’t it?” THE END. . (Copyright. All rights reserved.) Printed by arrangement with Metropolitan Newspaper Service, New York, Never Deal With a Woman BY MRS. WILSON WOODROW Illustrations by Will B. Johnstone A Scheming New York Criminal Lawyer—An Obliging Safe Breaker—A Beautiful and Ciever Society Leader Who Succeeds in Protecting Her Own Good Name. Order Your Evening World 1n Advance ae j 4 m .