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〃Ruin yourself if you want to；〃 said the girl as her host included celery and olives in the menu。 〃Go on and order prunes； too； for all I care。 I'm reckless。 Maybe I'll never have another dinner； the way this fever's coming on。 Feel my hand。〃
Under the table she wormed her hand into his； and kept it there until food came。 〃Do my eyes look very feverish？〃 she asked。
〃Not so very；〃 he assured her； covering an alarm he felt for the first time。 She did appear to be feverish； and the anxiety of her manner deepened as the meal progressed。 It developed quickly that she had but scant appetite for the choice food now being served。 She could only taste bits here and there。 Her plates were removed with their delicacies almost intact。 Between courses her hand would seek his； gripping it as if in some nameless dread。 He became worried about her state； his own appetite suffered。
Once she said as her hot hand clung to his； 〃I know where you'll be to…morrow night。〃 Her voice grew mournful； despairing。 〃And I know perfectly well it's no good asking you to stay away。〃
He let this pass。 Could it be that the girl was already babbling in delirium？
〃And all the time；〃 she presently went on； 〃I'll simply be sick a… bed； picking at the covers； all blue around the gills。 That'll be me； while you're off to your old motion picture'the so…called art of the motion picture；'〃 she concluded with a careful imitation of her father's manner。
He tried to determine whether she were serious or jesting。 You never could tell about this girl。 Whatever it was； it made him uneasy。
Outside he wished to take her home in a taxi…cab； but she would not hear to this。 〃We'll use the town…car； Gaston；〃 she announced with a flash of her old manner as she waved to an on…coming street…car。 During the long ride that followed she was silent but restless； tapping her foot； shifting in her seat； darting her head about。 The one thing she did steadily was to clutch his arm。
During the walk from the car to the Montague house she twice indulged in her little dance step； even as she clung to the arm； but each Lime she seemed to think little of it and resumed a steady pace； her head down。 The house was dark。 Without speaking she unlocked the door and drew him into the little parlour。
〃Stand right on that spot；〃 she ordered； with a final pat of his shoulder； and made her way to the dining room beyond where she turned on a single light that faintly illumined the room in which he waited。 She came back to him； removed the small cloth hat； tossed it to a chair； and faced him silently。
The light from the other room shone across her eyes and revealed them to him shadowy and mysterious。 Her face was set in some ominous control。 At last she looked away from him and began in a strained voice； 〃If anything happens to me〃
He thought it time to end this nonsense。 She might be feverish； but it could be nothing so serious as she was intimating。 He clutched the gift。 〃Sarah；〃 he said lightly； 〃I got a little something for yousee what I mean？〃 He thrust the package into her weakly yielding hands。
She studied it in the dusk； turning it over and over。 Then with no word to him she took it to the dining room where under the light she opened it。 He heard a smothered exclamation that seemed more of dismay than the delight he expected； though he saw that she was holding the watch against her wrist。 She came back to the dusk of the parlour； beginning on the way one of her little skipping dance steps； which she quickly suppressed。 She was replacing the watch on its splendid couch of satin and closing the box。
〃I never saw such a man！〃 she exclaimed with an irritation that he felt to be artificial。 〃After all you've been through； I should think you'd have learned the value of money。 Anyway； it's too beautiful for me。 And anyway； I couldn't take itnot to…night； anyway。 And anyway〃 Her voice had acquired a huskiness in this speech that now left her incoherent； and the light revealed a wetness in her eyes。 She dabbed at them with a handkerchief。 〃Of course you can take it to…night；〃 he said in masterful tones； 〃after all you've done for me。〃
〃Now you listen；〃 she began。 〃You don't know all I've done for you。 You don't know me at all。 Suppose something came out about me that you didn't think I'd 'a' been guilty of。 You can't ever tell about people in this business。 You don't know me at all…not one little bit。 I might 'a' done lots of things that would turn you against me。 I tell you you got to wait and find out about things。 I haven't the nerve to tell you； but you'll find out soon enough〃
The expert in photoplays suffered a sudden illumination。 This was a scene he could identifya scene in which the woman trembled upon the verge of revealing to the man certain sinister details of her past； spurred thereto by a scoundrel who blackmailed her。 He studied the girl in a new light。 Undoubtedly； from her words； he saw one panic…stricken by the threatened exposure of some dreadful complication in her own past。 Certainly she was suffering。
〃I don't care if this fever does carry me off；〃 she went on。 〃I know you could never feel the same toward me after you found out〃
Again she was dabbing at her eyes； this time with the sleeve of her jacket。 A suffering woman stood before him。 She who had always shown herself so competent to meet trouble with laughing looks was being overthrown by this nameless horror。 Suddenly he knew that to him it didn't matter so very much what crime she had been guilty of。
〃I don't care what you've done；〃 he said； his own voice husky。 She continued to weep。
He felt himself grow hot。 〃Listen here； Kid〃He now spoke with more than a touch of the bully in his tone〃stop this nonsense。 Youyou come here and give me a good big kisssee what I mean？〃
She looked up at him from wet eyes； and amazingly through her anguish she grinned。 〃You win！〃 she said； and came to him。
He was now the masterful one。 He took her protectingly in his arms。 He kissed her though with no trace of the Parmalee technique。 His screen experience might never have been。 It was more like the dead days of Edwina May Pulver。
〃Now you stop it；〃 he soothed〃all this nonsense！〃 His cheek was against hers and his arms held her。 〃What do I care what you've done in your pastwhat do I care？ And listen here； Kid〃There was again the brutal note of the bully in his voice〃don't ever do any more of those stuntssee what I mean？ None of that falling off streetcars or houses or anything。 Do you hear？〃
He felt that he was being masterful indeed。 He had swept her off her feet。 Probably now she would weep violently and sob out her confession。 But a moment later he was reflecting； as he had so many times before reflected； that you never could tell about the girl。 In his embrace she had become astoundingly calm。 That emotional crisis threatening to beat down all her reserves had passed。 She reached up and almost meditatively pushed back the hair from his forehead； regarding him with eyes that were still shadowed but dry。 Then she gave him a quick little hug and danced away。 It was no time for dancing； he thought。
〃Now you sit down；〃 she ordered。 She was almost gay again； yet with a nervous； desperate gaiety that would at moments die to a brooding solemnity。 〃And listen；〃 she began； when he had seated himself in bewilderment at her sudden change of mood； 〃you'll be off to your old motion picture to…morrow night； and I'll be here sick in bed〃
〃I won't go if you don't want me to；〃 he put in quickly。
〃That's no good； you'd have to go sometime。 The quicker the better； I guess。 I'll go myself sometime； if I ever get over this disease that's coming on me。 Anyway； you go； and then if you ever see me again you can give me this〃 She quickly came to put the watch back in his hands。 〃Yes； yes； take it。 I won't have it till you give it to me again； if I'm still alive。〃 She held up repulsing hands。 〃Now we've had one grand little evening； and I'll let you go。〃 She went to stand by the door。
He arose and stood by her。 〃All this nonsense！〃 he grumbled。 〃II won't stand for itsee what I mean？〃 Very masterfully again he put his arms about her。 〃Say；〃 he demanded； 〃are you afraid of me like you said you'd always been afraid of men？〃
〃Yes； I am。 I'm afraid of you a whole lot。 I don't know how you'll take it。〃 〃Take what？〃
〃Oh； anythinganything you're going to get。〃
〃Well； you don't seem to be afraid of me。〃
〃I am； more than any one。〃
〃Well； Sarah； you needn't beno matter what you've done。 You just forget it and give me a good big〃
〃I'm glad I'm using my own face in this scene；〃 murmured Sarah。
Down at the corner； waiting for his car； he paced back and forth in front of the bench with its terse message〃You furnish the girl； we furnish the house〃Sarah was a funny little thing with all that nonsense about what he would find out。 Little he cared if she'd done somethingforgery； murder； anything。
He paused in his stride and addressed the vacant bench： 〃Well； I've done my part。〃
CHAPTER XVIII
〃FIVE REELS…500 LAUGHS〃
It occurred to him the next morning that he might have taken too lightly Sarah's foreboding of illness。 Reviewing her curious behaviour he thought it possible she might be in