Marion Marlowe's Escape, or, A Dangerous Mistake on the Road — page 20: what you’re looking at

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18 word, we can do it true to nature! Why, he glared at me so beautifully that I was posi- tively afraid of him!” Mr. Temple glanced from one to the other, but Preston was smiling now, so he was com- pera deceived by the explanation. “That act will make one of the hits of ne evening, I think,” he said, enthusiastically. _“You see, Miss Marlowe’s speech about ‘matrimonial felicity’ will work them all up to the right pitch, and then, when Jackson points to your scraps, as an instance of ‘con- it will bring down the house. | jugal love,’ Don’t you think so, Preston ?” Percy Preston scowled at the mention of Jackson's name, and the temptation to let off a little of his wrath was not to be resisted. “Jackson will queer the whole act, unless I’m .much mistaken,” he said, savagely. “Fe’s a chump and a boor, and, furthermore, he’s a ‘greeny!’ It’s an outrage, Temple, to put him in that scene and, besides, it’s an in- sult to us professionals!” “Pity you didn’t think of that before you siened your contract,” remarked Mr. Tem- ple, dryly. “I could have secured Ed Girdon for exactly the same price, and, you know, he’s an old stand-by of mine—even Miss Marlowe likes him.” Percy Preston bit his lips. He under- stood his manager. He shrugged his shoul- ders and made a brave effort to recover his temper. “Oh, he may do all right, but you must d¢dmit it isn’t pleasant! I detest the kid, but, of course, that doesn’t matter! It’s for you to say who shall be in the cast. I only hope he doesn’t make a laughing-stock of us and ruin my reputation.” Miss Lee had slipped away quietly and gone back to her seat, leaving the manager and his leading man facing each other. “Look here, Temple!” said Preston, with another outburst of rage, “I thought you and | were friends! How does it happen that you could tell Bert Jackson my secrets? I oall it a dirty trick, and f believe you did it!” He had straightened himself up, and was fairly glaring at his manager, and the words eae so swiftly that they confused his hearer, “What the deuce do you mean?” asked Mr. Temple, angrily. “How the mischief could I tell what I didn’t know? I never beard of your villainous actions until Jack- son just told me!” CHAPTER VIII. THE. PREMONITION REALIZED, Percy Preston fairly gasped with astonish- ment at his words, but the look on Mr. Tem- ple’s face proved conclusively that he spoke truthfully. Then Pearl Lee.whad told! He could think of no other solution. In an in- stant he was white with rage and mentally swearing vengeance upon her. “Your bone is with some one else, not me,” went of the manager, calmly; “but let me tell you right here, Preston, you would never have signed that contract if I had known your record. Not that I’m the least bit fin- | icky about an actor’s morals ordinarily, but the actresses in this company are ladies, every one of them, at least, so far as I know, and that’s far enough to make me protect them.” “Do you wish to break the contract?” snarled Preston, angrily. “Not so long as you behave yourself,” was the manager’s prompt answer. “You were hired as an actor, and that is all. If you pre- sume tO pose as a gentleman and an equal of Miss Marlowe, I will find some way of rid- ding myself of you!” “Oh, will you?” sneered Preston. ‘Well, you'll have a job on your hands! Contracts, my dear Temple, are not broken so easily, You can tell all you know, you and Jackson both, but how will you go to work to prove your assertions ?” “Through Miss Lee.” The answer came as swiftly as a thunder- bolt. Percy Preston turned pale, but he clinched his hands determinedly. “Il defy you!” - fairly roared. | hear, Temple? I defy you!” Mr. Temple stared at him a minute and then changed his tone a little. “Vou do that well—very well, Preston,” he said, dryly. “That sort of thing will take with an audience, but, remember, I know -you now and it won't go down! Now get out of “Do you Comichbooks co