The Argosy, Vol. 65

Colonel Fane's Secret by Sydney Hoppes, serialized in The Argosy (April 1898), continues with Chapter XIII ("Vera Accepts an Engagement") and Chapter XIV ("Grace's Secret"). The narrative follows Vera Fane, an orphaned young woman who, after recovering from a traumatic incident aboard a ship in which two men drowned, befriends the spirited actress Grace Carlyon. Vera remains reluctant to pursue theatrical work, citing financial hardship and her reserve about the stage. However, facing destitution after weeks of unsuccessful job-seeking, she accepts a theatrical engagement with manager T. H. Colborne at three pounds weekly under the assumed name Miss Violet Fenton. The company embarks for provincial touring. Throughout, Vera carries mysterious personal grievances regarding Colborne, harboring knowledge of his past connection to her mother's suffering. The serial combines domestic realism with hints of romantic tension and undisclosed secrets.