Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-10


 She was seated there alone, slightly retired from the view of the house and in the shadow; but her arm as it rested on the cushion, still swayed the black and yellow fan, and her dia- monds sparkled lustrously ever in the glare that beat into the box.
 Struck dumb by this apparition, took the seat into which she motioned me, while her wonderful eyes regarded my face with stony impassiveness I could hear the hoarse mur- murs of the house and feel the stifing heat as it swept upwards from the pit. The strange woman did not stir except to keep up the ceaseless motion of her wrist.
 At last she spoke, and the soft voice was as musically sympathetic as ever. You seem astonished to see me, MT. Tren- oweth, and yet I have been looking for you for a long time.'
 I bowed.
 '.I have been expecting you to give me chance of redeeming my defeat" q am sorry,' stammered I, "but that is not | likely"
 No? From my point of view it was ex- | tremely likely But somehow had suspic ion that you would be different from the rest. 1 Perhaps it was because I had set my heart ! upon your coming"
 | II hope," said I, "that the money" She smiled and waved her hand slightly. l Do not trouble about that. Had chosen, I could have gone on losing to you until this moment I hope you reached home safely with what you won; but I need not ask that"
 "Indeed you need. I was attacked as l left the room, and but for the lucky accident, should now be dead"
 An" she said. placdly; ''you suspect me. Don't say mo- for can see you do. Never thelesS you are entirely wrong. Why, Mir. Trenoweth, had chosen, do you think could not have had you robbed before you had gone three paces from the house?" Thiswas said with such composure, and her eyes were so absolutely void of emotion, that | I could but sit and gasp. Once more l re- called the moment when, as I fled down the dark passage, I had seen her sitting motion less and calm in the light of her countless candles.
 But do you think I sent for you to tell you that?' she continued. "I sent for you because you interested me, and because 1 want talk with you. Hush the curtain is rising for the second act. Let us resume when it has finished; you will not deny me that favor at least"
 bowed again, and was silent as the cur tain rose-and once more Claire'S superb voice thrilled the house. Surely man was seldom more strangely placed than was I, between the speech of my love and the eyes of this ex. traordinary woman. AS I sat in the shadow and listened, I felt those blazing fires burning into my very soul; yet whenever l looked uI and met them, their icy glitter bafied all in depreciation. Still, as I sat there, the voice of Claire came to me as though beseechine and praying for my judgment, and rising witt the blaze of light and heated atmosphere O. the house. swept into the box until I could bear the oppression no longer. She must have P looked for me, and seeing my place empty have guessed that I condemned her. Mac with the thought, I rose to my feet and stooC for minute full in the light of the theatre It may not have been even a minute, but sh saw me, and once moro, as our gaze met fal : tered for an instant. Then the voice rang ou clear and true again, and knew that all wa l well between us. Yet in her look there wa something which could not well interpret. 5 AS sank back in my seat, Imet the eyes of my companion still impenetrably regarding me. But as the curtain fell she sai quietly
 'So you know Clarissa Lambert!"
 Istammered an affirmative,
 We'll? You admire her acting"
 "Inever saw it until tonight"
 ''That is strange; and yet you know her?
 I nodded,
 'sshe is a great successor which I con gratulate myself, for discovered her"
 ''You!. could only exclaim.
 Yes, I. Is it so extraordinary she and are connected. so to speak; which makes more odd that she should never have mer tiored you."
 The eyes seemed now to be reading m as book. I summoned all my courage an tried to return their steady stare, There wa pause broken only by the light frou-frou . the fan, as 1t still waved slowly backward \ and forwards. Among all the discoveries ( this night, 1t was hard enough to summo reason, harder to utter speech.
 But you will be leaving me again if do nc 1 explain why I sent for you. In the flrs place, I wished to have good look at yo'
 Do you wonder why an old woman shoul
 wish to look upon a comedy youth Do nt
 blush; but listen to my other reason.
 should greatly like, if I may, to look upo I your talisman-that golden buckle or wha , ever it was that brought such marvelou
 luck. Is it on you tonight?
 wore it, as matter of fact, in my wais l coat pocket, attached to one end of my chair