The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-05-25


- ing lady, and
g1'oaned, but neither looks nor groans
would mend matters. 1t was crisis
terrible crisis; q "ncw romantic mod
ern play" by n wcll-known author, was
on the.eve of production at the chief
theater of n 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 evcntful even
ing, the leading man was seized with
sudden illness. This news came just as
the company had met for Il rehearsal,
ut six p. IN. The manager knew it was
useless telcgraphing the agents in Lon
don. There would bc no one at the Of
fees at this time. He wired to three or
four men he thought of or who were
suggested to him-prc-paying replies.
He got two answers-''Too short no
tice," and Cant come-cngaged;' and
now, eight p. m, he and the author and
the leading lady sat in the managers
den, trying to devise some means of
surrounding the difficulty.
Miss Beryl Werner. the heroine of the
play, was beautiful woman, tall,
slight and graceful, with large, pathet-
ic, dark eyes that told, to keen oh
server, tale of mental suffering;
but, whatever that suffering was
she kept her own counsel. She was an
actress of rare gifts. a woman of blame
less life; and even in the theatcr. that
hotbed of scandal and petty jealousy.
everyone liked her; for she gave her
self no airs and graces; The was gcncr-
Gus on the stage and off it. Whether
wife or widow, no one knew; she wore
wedding ring. but she never spoke of
her past life, or of herself at all; to all
suitors she turned Il deaf car She had
not been more than four years on tie
stage, but she was born actress. and.
as she had beauty as well as talent, it
was not very surprising that this Wa,
her second leading engagement.
You have sent to see if there is any
one in the town." she inquired OF the
manager.
Yes; / couldn't hear of anyone, OK
ccpt fellow who couldn't touch the
part-wouldn't be able to study it in
time, either-the thing is who could?
a day to get up such Il part and play it
without rehearsal! Gillian offered To
play it, but fancy him. With his tlumpy
figure in the big love scene with YOU
Miss Nerner-thc audience would guy
"Wcll,' said Beryl Werner. 1.-The only
thing can think of is this: for you to
try and get some 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 once-especially the scenes
with me, because they are the most i'm
portant-and send him up to me as early
as eight o'clock, if he likes. Then we
can run through the big scene, at any
rate, and he can have all the rest of the
day for study; and if there's time to
give him an idea of the positions. Mnt
m'cur; if not, he must do without
What do you say, MIR. Wcldon?" to the
author.
There was nothing else TO bc done.
Author and manager thanked Miss
Vcrnct for her help, and the trio dis
pcrsed.
At ten o'clock that night Bcryl heard
Z. loud knock at the street door of the
house where she lodged: Il minute later
the manager of the Theatre Royal
rushed cXcitcdly upstairs. and entered
her sitting-room.
I'VE arc savcdr' he exclaimed. "Such
lucli-weve got man for the part
Gerard angton-thcre, my DEAR
Gerard Langton!''
The actress had started TO her feet to
facet the manager: she uttered the
name under her breath. Tom Wilson
hurried on, too much excited to notice
the involuntary interruption.
81 dropped across him at The Queens
hotel; he had justarrived. You've seen
him, of course. Ever played with him?
He's the man for the part--powcr-
emotion--splendid stage face and figure
-awfu! quick study. He came to the
researches got the part-hell study
all night and come to YOU about ten to-
MORROW for your scene"
~ am very glad Bcryl said Yes,
Gerard Langton is just the man for the
part; he will play it much better than
Cwynne could have donc!'
But when she was alone she fell on
her knees and covered her face, trem-
bling, sobbing.
Gerard" She whispered. latter 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 20 through with il?
must! am only the actress now
not the woman. And hc will not care
That knowledge will give me strcngth!'
She had no sleep that night, but she
was ontwardly sclf-rossesscd 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-
bercd step without The room door
opened.
''Mr. Langton," said the servant, and