The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-03-16


by Alix clavering. and when she came
To London She called herself Mrs CLAW
ering. which might or might not be q
nom de guerrc; for it was her publish.
ers who first introduced her into Lon
don literary society, and IL was moi
their business to disclose her real name,
surprising that she had another name
than that under which She chose to APP
pear.
Clavering went home She had "A few
alterations TO make in the second and
third acts, and after slight luncheon
she settled herself 10 the task. Set
tied? She seemed very restless and
worked ftfully. Sometimes. for min
utcs together, she sat with her face
hidden in her hands and more than
once tears triclled through her fingers
"They say the piece is likely to catch
on" said gentleman. who. in truth,
was a hacker of West End theater
He was one of IA group of men in the
smoking-room of rather Bohemian
club, and his remark was in continual
ton Of a dcsultory chat between him
self and well-known actor manager
Yes" answered the other. careless
ly. as he knocked the ashes Off his
cigar ''Thcy say that of so many of
these matinee shows. and they're gen.
orally such rot"
What play is that. il may ask?" in
quired man who had just caught the
last words.
The speaker was an uncommonly
handsome man. apparently about thir-
ty-six or thirty-sevcn. but he had a
reckless look. not pleasant to see. A
cautious man would think twice before
introducing this gentleman into his
home. for, besides his personal good
looks. he had sweet-toncd voice and
an attractive address. and with these
weapons of attack he could easily con-
qucr women's hearts. breaking them
afterward at his leisure.
The "backer'' answered him. "A
piece written by Mrs. Clavcring. the
novelist She's not prentice hand.
Some one-act plays of hers have been
done already
II remember reading one of her nov
els; il was clever said Mr.. Leslie.
whats the play about?" You noticed.
when he spoke. that his English was
slightly tinged with foreign accent
That was natural enough. for his life.
since his youth. had been passed abroad,
and he had only come to England about
a month ago.
81 ALL - tf,..
beaten track. they say. again. shall
be able to send you a stall. if you care
to 20: you needn't sit it out if you're too
much bored"
Wilmot Leslie was already favorite
with the men who knew him In this
topseyturvy world it often happens
that the least worthy are the most at
tractive.
Thanks" Leslie answered. II shall
he very pleased to 60 A trial matinee
is something of novelty to me, you
know. One doesn't have them abroad"
mo. thank Heaven groaned the
actor manager. and Leslie laughed, but
his laugh was not mirthful; 1t would
not strike you that he was happy
man. Perhaps. like a good many. he
was trying to live down his conscience
Some one suggested cards, and move
was made To the cardroom.
There Leslie proved ''plunger.
but he generally won, and keen OBJ
server Of human nature might have
noticed that there was something
fictitious in his excitement--as if he
were keeping up the steam, as it were,
to prevent his Inner self asserting it.
self At three n IN. he walked through
the growing dawn to the chambers,
but the ghosts that fitted along by
his side all the way followed him in
and kept their silent watch, ghosts of
evil deeds and misspent hours There
was one ghost than came nearer To
him than the Others and looked at him
with eyes of unrtterable pain and sor-
row. He covered his face, but he saw
these eyes all the same; he called him
self fool and cursed his nervous
mood" but the spect--s never stirred.
and the sad eyes grew sadder-that
was all.
II have done with il ALL he cried,
with a reckless. laugh. I'm getting
sentimental. Pouf, I'll settle accounts
with a six-shooter il can't get rid Of
those fancics any other way. It's too
late to bark back"
The day Of the matinee came. The
play was called Opal" from the
legend Of that beautiful stone that it
CLOVIS bright while the love of the
wearer for The giver burns clear and
strong and grows dim when love
falters and fails. Lcslic's stall was ia
the last row, and he knew none Of the
people near him; his acquaintances In
England were at present not many.
He looked carelcssly over his pro-
gramme. and bit his lip for moment
with a quick-drawn breath: his tongue
almost whispered the name Of the
heroine. Margaret. But the name is
common enough. He listened to the
chatter Of the people about him-most-
ly professionals--not because it had
any interest for him. but because he
hailed anything that took his atten-
ton away from retrospection-any-
thing that drove the ghosts little
farther away
The curtain rose; the play began.