"Maybe I'll tell you one day," he replied in his quiet way,
"though, honestly, there's precious little to tell..."
Desmond marked his confusion and respected him for it. He rushed
in to the rescue.
"Spencer," he said abruptly, "what's worth seeing in London? We
are going to a show to-night. I want to be amused, mark you, not
elevated!"
"Nur-el-Din at the Palaceum," replied the reporter.
"By Jove, we'll go there," said Desmond, turning to Maurice.
"Have you ever seen her? I'm told she's perfectly marvelous..."
"It's an extraordinarily artistic turn," said Spencer, "and
they're doing wonderful business at the Palaceum. You'd better go
and see the show soon, though, for they tell me the lady is
leaving the programme."
"No!" exclaimed Strangwise so suddenly that Desmond turned round
and stared at him. "I thought she was there for months yet..."
"They don't want her to go," answered Spencer, "she's a perfect
gold-mine to them but I gather the lady is difficult... in fact,
to put it bluntly she's making such a damn nuisance of herself
with her artistic temperament that they can't get on with her at
all."
"Do you know this lady of the artistic temperament, Maurice?"
asked Desmond.
Strangwise hesitated a moment.
"I met her in Canada a few years ago," he said slowly, "she was a
very small star then.
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