Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-08

swer for her or to protect her. She
would not have minded so much what
most people thought of her, but it would
have been great comfort to her if this
man, at any rate, had by some divine
faculty of vision been able to see through
the disguise that yelled her from the
rest of the world He did see through
it; but he did not believe what he saw.
He thought that his discovery was her
deception, and the more she was frank
and simple, the more she was her real
self, the less would he believe in her.
It was dilemma between intuition and
reason; and, with man of the world,
reason, in such cases, is apt to have the
best of it.
1t would have been easy for the prima
donna to have enlightened him, and I'M
der certain circumstances she might
have been tempted to do so. But now
it was matter of pride to her, if Meth
ing else, to say no word that could lead
him to infer that his sympathy was any
thing to her one way or the other. But
she was at liberty to resent an insult,
and she felt that to do so would help her
to preserve her composure.
You probably don't know, sir" she
said, initiating his phrase, that to call
even an opera singer the extreme oppo-
site of fresh and innocent is not polite.
1 am not so contemplate thing to all
men as I seem to be to your
st was brutal thing to say, and I
did not mean it, = he replied in a low
voice. But can't say what wish to
you. There's no middle way" And be-
fore she could make up her mind what
this meant he passed by her and walked
heavily away down the corridor.
The prima donna fell into deep and
not altogether painful revery. She seat
ed herself on bench behind the scenes
and followed out her musings with her
chin on her hand. The rehearsal was
going forward in front, the duets, the
uuartets and the chOruses, but she was
lost in thought There's no middle
way" What was in his mind-in his
heart-when he said that? There had
been something very potent in his eyes,
that she was sure of. What eyes he
had! What a stern, resolute face, with
I nothing mean or commonplace in it! He
was not like the others, either in aspect
or in manner. His very carelessness and
roughness were more high bred than
| their best behavior Though he might
| go among other men, he would always
be apart from them; he was lonely, like
herself. but, unlike hers, his was vol
untary and noble loneliness. And he
despised her because-because some
other woman was despicable! That was
unjust, and yet perhaps there was mad
vertent Justice in it. Perhaps, if he
| knew the truth, he would despise her no
less on other grounds. But again there
was some other feeling beside contempt
at work within him. What could that
be? The girl raised her head slightly,
with a doubtful, musing smile on her
| lips.
There was a stealthy step behind her
| which she did not hear until it was close
upon her. Then suddenly pair of hands
were pressed over her eyes, and her head
was drawn back. For moment she was
too much amazed to resist; besides, she
| Thought it must be-could not but be
some one who had right to treat her so
her father, or even her brother Ed; no
stranger would dare! Any impossibility
was more possible than that. The next
moment she felt kisses on her cheek and
1 mouth-clumsy, offensive kisses. She
was not a screaming woman, but she
gave a passionate cutlery of disgust,
| twisted herself free, and sprang to her
feet.
The offender stood before her, evident
" not at all convinced of the enormity
of his outrage His visage was wrinkled
into waggish laugh, in which he SEEM
ed to expect the prima donna to join. 1t
had already been made apparent to her
that the man had been drinking, but the
mist of wrath in her eyes kept her for
an instant from recognizing in him the
newly engaged musical director, Herr
Plotowski. She felt that if she had had
weapon in her hand she could have
killed him on the spot. And he was
laughing!
"Ahal my beautiful ma'm'selle! L
catch you fair dat timer he exclaimed
jovially. "Ohl dose beautiful lips! hat
often long to salute demp'
IF you ever come near me or speak TO
me againr-began the prima donna; but
she checked herself. She would not
condescend even to threaten such a
wretch. Besides, what power had she
to carry threat into execution? Herr
Plotowsh had been engaged at great
expense; he was considered a valuable
acquisition. No one could lead an
orchestra more ably than he. If she
complained of him her complaint would
be put off or disregarded; nor could she
bring herself to confide the outrage to a
man like Gen. lingo. He would be
sure to laugh, and answer with some
coarse. good humored jest. In this new
world she had entered into everybody
seemed to make jest of everything.
There was no one to defend her; she
must submit if she could not defend
herself. But, as her glance fell upon
Herr PlotowsIi, she told herself she
would rather die than submit to such
another insult.
Her passionate indignation must have
made itself perceptible through the
Gallons hide of the director, fortified
though he was By whisky. The wrinkled
laugh gradually faded from his counte-
nance, and gave place to an expression
of absurd solemnity and irritation.
"You be angry dat 1 kiss you, chr he
cried in a harsh voice. Let me tell
you, mam'selle, kiss all re ladies vot
sing byme. ley dake it as compliment;