Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-05-19

- ing lady, and groancd, but neither looks nor groans would mend matters. It was a crisis | a terrible crisis; a ''ncw romantic mod ern play" by n well-known author, was on the eve of production at the chief theatcr of large provincial town. Everything was ready; the mayor and the lord lieutenant, and two or three other "big wigs" were coming; and now two days before the cvcntful even ing, the leading man was seized with sudden illness This news came just as the company had met for a rehearsal, at six p. m. Tho manager knew it was useless tclcgraphing the agents in Lon don. There would be no one at the of | fees at this timc He wired to three or four men he thought of or who were suggested to him-prc-paying replies. | He got two anSwcrs-''Too short no | ticc," and Can't comc-engagcd;" and | now, eight D. m., he and the author and l the leading lady sat in the managers | den, trying to devise some means of surmounting the difficulty.
 Miss Beryl Werner, the heroine of the play, was a beautiful woman, tall, slight and graceful, with largo, pathot- ic, dark eyes, that told, to lioen ob- server, a tale of mental suffering; but, whatever that suffering was, she kept her own counsel. She was an l actress of rare gifts, woman of blame less life; and even in the thcatcr, that hotbcd of scandal and petty jealousy, everyone liked her; for she gave her self no airs and graces; ahe was gcnCr- ous on tho stage and off it. Whether wife or widow, no one knew; she wore I,,k el,. f her past life, or of herself at all; to all suitors she turned a deaf car. She had not been more than four years on the stage, but she was born actress, and, as she had beauty as well as talent, it was not very surprising that this was her second leading engagement.
 ''Nou have sent to sec if there is any one in the town?" she inquired of the manager.
 "Ycs; 1 couldn't hear of anyone, cX- ccpt fellow who couldn't touch the part-wouldn't be able to study it in time, either-tho thing is who could? day to get up such a part and play it without rehearsal! Gillian offered to play it, but fancy him! With his dumpy figure in the big love scene with you, Miss Verncr-the audience would guyr
 
 thing l can think of is this: for you to try and get sOmo one in the town; it's no use our going on with rehearsal now, is it? But if some one turns up, set him to study at oncc-espccially tho scenes with mo, because they are tho most i'm portant-Ond send him up to me as carly as eight o'clock, if he likes. Then we can run through the big sccne, at any tN and pon louC oil tho oF tl,,, day for study; and if there's time to give him an idea of tho positions, tant miCUF; if not, he must do without. What do you say, Mir. Wcldon?" to the author.
 There was nothing else to be lonc Author and manager thanked Miss Werner for her help, and tho trio dis pcrsCd.
 At ten o'clock that night Bcryl heard a loud knock at the street door of the house where she lodged; n minute later tho manager of the Theatre Royal rushed eXcitcdly upstairs, and entered her sittingroom.
 We are saved.' he exclaimed. 'Such lucll-wGve got a man for the part Gerard Langton-therc, my dear!"
 'Gcrard LangtOn!"
 Tho actress had started to her feet to meet the manager; sho uttered the name under her breath. Tom Wilson hurried on, too much excited to notice the involuntary interruption.
 "I dropped across him at the Queens hotel; ho had just arrived. You've seen him, of course! Ever played with him? He's the man for the part-powcr- emotion-splcndid stage face and figure awful quick study. IIo came to the rcscue-hc's got the part-hcll study all night and come to you. about ten to- morrow for your scene"
 'I am very glad" Beryl,said. "Ycs, Gerard Langton is just the man for the part; he will play it much better than Gwynne could have donc!"
 But when she was alone she fell on her knees and covered her face, trcm- bling, sobbing.
 Gerard" she whispered, "after five long years are we to meet like this? Would you have undertaken this if you had known who Beryl Werner was? And I-how can go through with it? muSu 1 am only the actress now not the woman. And he will not care That knowledge will give me strength"
 She had no sleep that night. but she was outwardly self-possessed the next morning when she sat awaiting her visitor. Yet she clenched her hands for moment over her heart at the sound of knock at the outer door and held her breath as she heard well-remem- bered step without The room door opened.
 ''Mr. Langton," said the servant, and tall, handsome man of about thirty came in. Beryl, who had averted her face lest the visitor should betray any surprise before the servant, turned as the door closed, and Langton started violently, and fell back step, flushing | to his brow.
 "Beryll" he muttered, hoarsely, "Berylw and his dark head was bent in shame, his breast heaved. He stood be- fore her like culprit-and culprit he was; rivers of wrong flowed between them-wrong of his doing, not hers; yet she looked at him with passion of love and anguish in her dark eyes, JOSFPA | JACKSON. ARCHITTCT.