"Ladies and gentlemen!" he went on, raising his voice, "the Modern
Sorcery Company Ltd. has given you some proof to-night of their
capabilities in the conjuring line, and if you will give us the
pleasure of your company to-morrow night--we invite you all free of
charge for the occasion--we will give you a still further
demonstration of our powers. May we count upon your patronage?"
A terrific storm of clapping was the reply, and as the audience slowly
filed from the hall, John Martin staggered into the wing, reeled past
Gladys ere she could catch him, and sank helplessly on to the floor.
CHAPTER XIII
THE MODERN SORCERY COMPANY LTD. GIVE A GRATIS PERFORMANCE
The days that followed were dark days for Gladys. Her father, whom she
loved--and, until now, had never realized how much she loved--lay
seriously ill. He had had a stroke which, although fortunately slight,
must, as the doctor said, be regarded as a prelude to what would
happen, unless he was kept very quiet. And to keep him quiet was not
an easy thing to do. His mind continually reverted to what had just
taken place, and he was for ever asking Gladys to tell him whether
anything further had occurred in connection with it, whether there was
anything about it in the papers.
Gladys, of course, was obliged to dissemble. She hated anything
approaching dissimulation, but on this occasion there was no help for
it, and what she told John Martin was the reverse of what she knew to
be actually happening.
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