Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-11

what is the matter, dear? How flushed
you lookt'
81 have a bad headache, Arthur" she
replied, falteringly.
"Come and take a turn in the fresh
air, dearest. Mr.. Moss won't be here for
a quarter OF an hour yet; and have some
good news for you which should charm
your headache away"
She complied, and they passed out Of
the theatre together.
knew well the nature of the good
news Emerson wished to impart. [ had
secured another engagement as leading
man, and In fortnights time my old
schoolfellow would step into my shoes,
and so be in position to marry without
surther delay. For moment | felt
pang. 1t was rather rough On me to
hear my best friend speaking of that
which must once again cause our lives to
drift asunder as ''good news" Still it
was only natural. I had made the sac
rifce, and I would not now regret what
it cost me.
Knowing that Thornton was now alone
in the corridor, boldly confronted him.
He was pacing up and down; but he
stopped instantly as I appeared, and
stood looking me iercely in the face.
'May | inquire how long you have
. |
he asked, with suppressed rage.
Long enough to overhear your CONVEX
sation with Lizzie Smith,
"You sneaking curl You contemplate
eavesdropperI" he Kissed.
eff you have any more titles with
which to honor me, pray launch them
forth!''
"Bah-you're beneath contempt" he
retorted politely; and then he turned as
if to leave the theatre.
"Stop one moment, Thorntonp cried.
"You have been so good as to tell me
what you think of my conduct, and now
I will retutd the compliment by telling
you what think of yours. In my opin-
ion the man who, while he publicly pro-
fesses friendship for his brother-actor,
clandestinely tries to undermine the af-
fections of that brother-actor's future
wife is no better than a coward and
thief" He did not reply, and, thinking
that had made some impression upon
him, I continued: "You profess to be-
Geve Arthur Emerson does not love LIZ
zie Smith. It's ale! Norman ever loved
woman more tenderly than Emerson
loves the woman he has asked to be his
wife. Think of all he has sacrificed for
] her sake-wealth, position, and the af-
lection of his only relative. [ tell you
every hair of her head is dear to him;
and, if you succeed in persuading her to
be false to him, you will break his heart
and ruin his life"
cit is Emerson who has stolen Lizzie
from me, not | who have stolen her from
him. l loved her and she loved me
months before Emerson ever saw her."
replied Thornton, doggedly.
''He never knew it, Thornton-beEeve
me-"
"Well, I know it well enough" replied
Thornton, with an uneasy laugh. ''All's
fair in love and war, you know; and, if
pretty Lizzie chooses to prefer harum-
scarum me to that gloomy student of
hers, sha'n't be the first to cry off,"
Further conversation was made i'm
possible by the entrance of Mr.. Moss and
two or three other members of the COM
pany.
| was much exercised in my mind all
day as to the course l ought to pursue.
Emerson seemed in the best of spirits at
rehearsal. He was evidently overjoyed
at the prospect of being able to call Liz
zie "wife" ere long, and totally uncon.
scious of the fact that she was not equal.
ly well pleased. The more thought of
it all, the more I shrank from broaching
the subject to him; and yet l could not
reconcile it to my conscience to let him
marry Lizzie in ignorance of the appall-
ing fact that she loved another man.
That evening, between the acts, Elmer.
son asked me if I was going to Dimchurch
in the morning.
"No. Why do you ask?" inquired.
"Oh, | believe one or two of our people
are talking of getting up a picnic OF
something. You might as well come"
"All right-Tm on! I want to have &
talk with you," said, thinking desper
ately that it would be good opportunity
to break the ice about Lizzie.
Thornton, who was standing by, looked
contemptuously at me, and then FASTENED
on to the stage
By ten o'clock the next morning was
at the railway station. Emerson was al
ready there, with Mr.. Moss, Kitchum
Barton and Egan.
"Where's Lizzie?' I asked Emerson.
"She has one of her bad headaches
and preferred to stay at home, +" he replied
I noticed that Thornton was also alb
; sent; and, looking towards Kitchu1n anC
Barton, l saw them exchange meaning
chances.
All day waited for chance to speak
to Emerson alone, and waited in vain
We were far larger party than 1 had
anticipated, and I found it quite impossi
to justify me in broaching so delicate &
subject as L1zz1e-s ralthIessness.
On our way back from the station we
passed Lizzie's lodgings.
81 think I'll just run in and see how
Lilly is" said Emerson to me.
"Al right, old fellow! I shall wait tea
, for YOU mind-so don't be long," l re-
piled, for Emerson had promised to &C
, home with me.
, "Oh, / sha'n't stay more than q few
minutes" with that we parted.
: Emerson's few minutes heightened in.
to an hour, and 1 was just going to begin
my tea without him, fearing to be late
at the theatre, when he staggered into
| my room.
GOOD heavens! what is the natter"
gasped.
"Oh, a mere nothing!. 1t is only that
the woman for whom sacrificed every
thing that men hold dear, for whom
would willingly have given my life
blood, has made off with another man
one who, she coolly informs me, has ever
, been the chosen of her hearth Clifford,
you are right-they are false, every one
Of theml a truthful woman is as strange
a phenomenon as an honest money-lend-
err"
| was too distressed on Emerson's be-
half to deny that I had ever advanced an
opinion so prejudicial to women. Words
of comfort | could not utter. Helplessly
I watched my poor friend. He was pallid
to the very lips, but in his eyes there was
a fierce unnatural CLEAN.
''What do you think did when I first
heard the news? Why, tainted dead off,
like any stupid schoolgirl When 1 came