Oh,I was sore as I lay there!And I wasn't so cock-sure either that I'd get out of it straight.I tried the Beryl story lots of ways on myself,but somehow,every time I fancied myself telling it to Obermuller,it got tangled up and lay dumb and heavy inside of me.
But at least it would be better to appear of my own will before the old Englishman than be discovered by Lord Gray and his Lady.
I had my fingers on the curtains,and in another second I'd been out when--"Miss Beryl Blackburn's compliments,Mr.Topham,and would you step to the door,as there's something most important she wants to tell you."Oh,I loved every syllable that call-boy spoke!There was a giggle behind his voice,too;old Topham was the butt of every joke.The first call,which had fooled me,must have been from some giddy girl who wanted to guy the old fellow.She had fooled me all right.But this--this one was the real article.
There was a pause--Topham must be looking about to be sure things were safe.Then he creaked to the door and shut it carefully behind him.
It only took a minute,but in that minute--in that minute,Mag,Ihad the rose diamond clutched safe in my fingers;I was on the top of the big trunk and out of the window.
Oh,the feel of that beautiful thing in my hand!I'd 'a'loved it if it hadn't been worth a penny,but as it was I adored it.
I slipped the chain under my collar,and the diamond slid down my neck,and I felt its kiss on my skin.I flew down the black corridor,bumping into scenery and nearly tripping two stage carpenters.I heard Ginger,the call-boy,ahead of me and dodged behind some properties just in time.He went whistling past and Igot to the stage door.
I pulled it open tenderly,cautiously,and turned to shut it after me.
And something held it open in spite of me.
No--no,Mag,it wasn't a man.It was a memory.It rose up there and hit me right over the heart--the memory of Nancy Olden's happiness the first time she'd come in this very door,feeling that she actually had a right to use a stage:entrance,feeling that she belonged,she--Nancy--to this wonderland of the stage!
You must never tell Tom,Mag,promise!He wouldn't see.He couldn't understand.I couldn't make him know what I felt any more than I'd dare tell him what I did.
I shut the door.
But not behind me.I shut it on the street and--Mag,I shut for ever another door,too;the old door that opens out on Crooked Street.With my hand on my heart,that was beating as though it would burst,I flew back again through the black corridor,through the wings and out to Obermuller's office.With both my hands I ripped open the neck of my dress,and,pulling the chain with that great diamond hanging to it,I broke it with a tug,and threw the whole thing down on the desk in front of him.
"For God's sake!"I yelled."Don't make it so easy for me to steal!"I don't know what happened for a minute.I could see his face change half a dozen ways in as many seconds.He took it up in his fingers at last.It swung there at the end of the slender little broken chain like a great drop of shining water,blushing and sparkling and trembling.
His hands trembled,too,and he looked up at last from the diamond to my face.
"It's worth at least fifty thousand,you know--valued at that."I didn't answer.
He got up and came over to where I had thrown myself on a bench.
"What's the matter,Olden?Don't I pay you enough?""I want to see Tom,"I begged."It's so long since he--He's up at--at--in the country.""Sing Sing?"
I nodded.
"You poor little devil!"
That finished me.I'm not used to being pitied.I sobbed and sobbed as though some dam had broken inside of me.You see,Mag,I knew in that minute that I'd been afraid,deathly afraid of Fred Obermuller's face,when it's scornful and sarcastic,and of his voice,when it cuts the flesh of self-conceit off your very bones.And the contrast--well,it was too much for me.
But something came quick to sober me.
It was Gray.She stormed in,followed by Lord Harold and Topham,and half the company.
"The diamond,the rose diamond!"she shrieked."It's gone!And the carpenters say that new girl Olden came flying from the direction of my dressing-room.I'll hold you responsible--""Hush-sh!"Obermuller lifted his hands and nodded over toward me.
"Olden!"she squealed."Grab her,Topham.I'll bet she stole that diamond,and she can't have got rid of it yet."Topham jumped toward me,but Obermuller stopped him.
"You'd win only half your bet,my Lady,"Obermuller said softly."She did get hold of the Gray rose,worth fifty thousand dollars,in spite of all your precautions--"The world seemed to fall away from me.I looked up at him.
I couldn't believe he'd go back on me.
"--And she brought it straight to me,as I had asked her to,and promised to raise her salary if she'd win out.For I knew that unless I proved to you it could be stolen,you'd never agree to hire a detective to watch those things,which will get us all into trouble some day.Here!Scoot out o'this.It's nearly time for your number."He passed the diamond over to her,and they all left the office.
So did I;but he held out his hand as I passed."It goes--that about a raise for you,Olden.Now earn it."Isn't he white,Mag--white clean through,that big fellow Obermuller?