to a choice--you would actually sacrifice Diana?"

Errington's face whitened.

"It will not--it shall not!" he said vehemently. "Diana's faith will
pull us through."

Olga smiled contemptuously.

"Don't be too sure. After all a woman's trust won't stand everything,
and you're asking a great deal from Diana--a blind faith, under
circumstances which might shake the confidence of any one.
Already"--she leaned forward a little--"already she is beginning to be
jealous of Adrienne."

"And whom have I to thank for that? You--you, from whom, more than
from any other, I might have expected loyalty."

Olga shook her head.

"No, not me. But the fact that no wife worth the name will stand
quietly by and see her husband at the beck and call of another woman."

"More especially when there is some one who drops poison in her ear day
by day," he retorted.

"Yes," she acknowledged frankly. "If I can bring matters to a head,
force you to a choice between Adrienne and Diana, I shall do it. And
then, before God, Max! I believe you'll free yourself from that woman."

"No," he answered quietly, "I shall not."

"You'll sacrifice Diana?"--incredulously.

A smile of confidence lightened his face.

"I don't think it will come to that. I'm staking--everything--on
Diana's trust in me."

"Then you'll lose--lose, I tell you."

"No," he said steadily. "I shall win."

Olga smote her hands together.

"Was there ever such a fool! I tell you, no woman's trust can hold out
for ever. And since you can't explain to her--"

"It won't be for ever," he broke in quickly. "Everything goes well.
Before long all the concealment will be at an end. And I shall be
free."

Olga turned away.

"I can't wish you success," she said bitterly. "The day that brings
you success will be the blackest hour of my life."

Errington's face softened a little.

"Olga, you are unreasonable--"

"Unreasonable, am I? Because I grudge paying for the sins of
others? . . . If that is unreasonable--yes, then, I _am_ unreasonable!
Now, go. Go, and remember, Max, we are on opposite sides of the camp."

Errington paused at the door.

"So long as you keep your honour--_our_ honour--clean," he said, "do
what you like! I have utter, absolute trust in Diana."

CHAPTER XIX

THE "FIRST NIGHT" PERFORMANCE

The curtain fell amidst a roar of applause, and the lights flashed up
over the auditorium once more. It was the first night performance