Part 113

"What did you expect me to do? Endure forever in silence?"

"What did you do? Or what do you mean to do?"

"I have come to care for a woman who understands me----"

"A woman, Jarvis?"

"The woman who wrote 'Francesca.' I cared first because she had put into her heroine so many things that were like you."

"Well?" she said again.

"She has come to care for me. I wanted to tell you so long ago, when we first knew, but she begged me not to until after the play was tried out. But I can't stand it another minute. There must be truth between us, Bambi. I want you to read her letters. I want you to try to understand how this has crept into my heart."

"You wish to be free--to go to her?"

"There is no happiness for us, is there?"

"I'm too tired to think it out now, Jarvis. You must go away and let me get myself together."

She looked like a pitiful little wraith, and his heart ached for her.

"I'm sorry I had to add to your hard day, but I had to say this to-night."

"It's all right. I must ask you not to speak to me of it again until after to-morrow night. I need all my strength for that ordeal. After that, we must turn our attention to this new problem, and work it out together, somehow."

"Thank you. I'm sorry I've been such a disappointment to you, my dear," he added.

"Good-night. Take the letters--I could not bear to read them."

With an agonized look he took them and left her.

"Dear lord, I'm through with plots! I'm sick unto death of the secret," she sighed, as she climbed into bed.

XXVIII

Bambi kept to her room next day until it was time to meet the train on which Ardelia and the Professor were to arrive. It was due at four o'clock. She went to Jarvis's door, but he was not in his room. She had heard nothing of him since his confession of the night before.

Her telephone bell startled her, and she took up the receiver to hear Jarvis's voice.

"Bambi?"

"Yes."

"How are you?"

"All right."

"Don't you want me to meet the Professor and Ardelia? There's no need of your going up to Grand Central."

"I'd rather go thank you, Jarvis. Where are you?"

"At the theatre."

"Anything the matter?"