"Well, I hope you will look at the situation from my viewpoint. But
the actual truth is, that when I first came up here to-night, I had not
the faintest suspicion that it was you I was seeking."
"No?" doubtfully.
"That is an actual fact, Lizzie. I did n't suppose you were within a
thousand miles of this place," and Farnham quietly settled himself
again in his chair. "I came up here merely intending to get a glimpse
of an actress named Beth Norvell. I was never more thoroughly
surprised in my life than when you first came out on the stage. For a
moment it knocked me silly. Say, you're an artist all right, my girl.
That was a great stunt. Why, those boys down below hardly breathed
until you disappeared. You ought to get a chance in Chicago; you 'd be
wearing diamonds. Damned if I was n't honestly proud of you myself."
The girl caught her breath sharply, her hand pressed tightly against
her side.
"What--what was it you desired of Beth Norvell?" she questioned.
Farnham's white teeth gleamed in a sudden smile of appreciation.
"Hope you are not becoming jealous," he said insinuatingly.
"Positively no occasion, I assure you, for it was not to make love to
the girl, I wanted to see her. Lord, no! This was purely a business
deal. The truth is, I chanced to hear she had a lover already, and he
was the fellow I was really after."
"A lover?" she stepped toward him, her eyes blazing, her cheeks aflame.
"I? How dare you? What can you mean by so false an insinuation?"
"Oh, don't flare up so, Lizzie," and the complacent gambler looked at
her with eyes not entirely devoid of admiration. "It really makes you
prettier than ever, but that sort of thing cuts no ice with me.
However, what I have just said stands: the story flying around here is
that you have captured old Winston's boy, and a damned good catch it
is, too."
She went instantly white as a sheet, her body trembling like an aspen,
her quivering lips faltering forth words she could not wholly restrain.
"The story, you say--the story! Do--do you believe that of me?"
"Oh, that does n't make any difference," the brute in him frankly
enjoying her evident pain. "Lord, what do you care about my belief?
That was all passed and over with long ago. All I know is, the fellow
is gone on you, all right. Why, he pulled a gun on me last night
merely because I chanced to mention your name in his presence."