New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-01
A DAUGHTER OF THESPIS
Copyright: 49,: By The Trttsne AuociatiOnj
BY JOHN D. BARRY.
CHAPTER XII.

is ;t?"
She passed the card to her friend. "Oh!' said
Mrs. Coin, "he has come to thank you. OF course;
he has just realized how rude he was TO you
this morning. and he's come to apologize. wish
It were his autograph. But it's something to have
this. May I keep it?'
'Of course" Evelyn replied with smile But
how could he know who l vase
"Oh, you haven't been on the stage for moth
ing. You may be sure that everybody in Co.
hassett knows you've arrived, and tonight every
one will know about Mrs Webbs attack on the
boat You and the Webbs are rival celebrities.
And do YOU really think he's come about
that?"
"Of course he has. What else do you suppose
he's come for?''
II can't think Of anything else that would bring
him We'll ! might as well make up my MIND
70 go down"
Make up your mind, wish had the chance
Of meeting him"
"You might mpersonate me. lie didn't notice
what 1 looked like
"All right That will be lovely I've always
wanted to know how it felt to be great actress
'T've wondered about that myself
my dear you're too modest. If you talk like
that people will think you're fishing for compli-
ments."
"Well. aren't you going down.?
81 guess not. I couldn't get through the part.
I'd break down. I'd forget my lines"
'I hate 70 go in this dress" said Evelyn, rising
and hesitating before the mirror.
You're growing vain. But your blue and
white would look prettier. and you can STICK
these flowers IN your corsage." She went over
to one Of the small tables-the room was Uttered
with tables-and took from vase a bunch OF
wild flowers.
But II will take me a long time TO dress
said Evelyn. accepting the flowers mechanically.
"And Of course you can't keep him waiting
81 think I shall have to go down In this.
Mrs Cohn stood facing Evelyn thoughtfuly.
'I tell you what I'll do" she said after a mo-
ments silence 'Tn be your chaperon, and I'll
20 down and tell him you're coming in min
ute tn be very dgniled and proper, and
know he'll be impressed. No girl should be
without a chapcron. especially when she's an
actress think I've got just wit enough to keep
him from being bored till you're ready"
That's lovely Only don't leave the room
when come in. will you? Ia rather not be
alone with him. | suppose it's foolishness or
nervousness but I'll feel better if you're there"
"An right. Now. look your prettiest. and per-
haps he'll put you in Of his books
they left the room together and parted at
the door Evelyn hurrying upstairs with the
flowers
slowly down laughing with nervous gayety at
her own temerity.
When. twenty minutes later-she thought she
had been unusually expeditious-Evely entered
the parlor she found Mrs. Cohn and Oswald
Webb talking together If they had been
friends for years There was quality in Mrs.
Cohn that insinuated itself into confidence and
Oswald Webb had evidently felt 1t at once. He
seemed to be in the gayest spirits: his laugh was
wonderfully infectious. When Evelyn entered
the room he didn't wait to be formally presented,
but approached her with his long strides and
offered his hand
'I owe you a thousand apologies and thou
sand thanks" ne said bea ming down upon her.
81 was very rude to you this morning, and very
ungrateful for what you did for my poor wife
and myself No. that isn't true I wasn't really
ungratcful ! did appreciate all you did, but l
was so excited and upset that didn't think Of
thanking YOU" Ne flushed as If he felt that his
speech had been too long and ELUSIVE, and Eve
lyn withdrew her hand. which he had uncon-
sciously held.
What I did was nothing" she said ANY
one would have done It,"
We've been talking about YOU ever since we
got home" he said. taking his seat again. Mrs
Cohn was smiling dcprecatlngly as II she felt
she ought not 10 be there but as she was there
she would try to be as amable and as silent as
nossible Mrs Webb RECEIVERS very quickly
from those attacks"
II hope she doesn't have them very often .
said Evelyn Mrs. COINS face assumed grave
harmony with the subject.
"Oh, not very often. but far too often to
please US She ought not to have come out to-
day but she had been feeling unusually we'll ard
we'd planned to take the boat II X was pleasant
Then she was so disappointed when the weather
turned out to be unpleasant that let her come
in spite Of It. Besides she's fond Of gray days.
TT was lovely on the boat" Evelyn commented
feeling that she was saying something very
commonplace.
1--WE thought you liked 1t, too. We had been
talking about you
Had YOU really?" said Evelyn flushing; Mrs
Cohn smiled brightly.
Eyes; we thought had seen you before-we
felt sure OF It. We said If we hadn't seen you
we had seen some just like you. Then wher
I told Mrs Webb all you'd done for her she
was anxious TO find out where had seen you
She sees so few people you know, and she has
q wonderful memory for faces"
How did you find out?' asked Evelyn, sml
ing.
ut flashed upon us just a little while ago-or
rather, It flashed Constance. Mrs. Webb Wed
got ourselves very much excited over It, and she
had given me great scoding for being so rude
to you. I had confessed everything l don't
dare to keep anything from her. she's so sharp
Well after she'd told me that we must find out
who you were. and that must go and apollo
gize TO you. she remembered at last"
Mira Cohn laughed gleefully. as If she knew
what was coming Evelyn felt sure they had
been talking her over in those twenty minutes
ssWell, what was it?" she said.
Mrs. Webb asked me-" he went on as II he
hadn't heard the question. III remembered tho
night we had gone TO Booth In Don Caesar.
and I said did. Mrs. Webb is devoted TO the
theatre and so am l. but we're able 10 go &c
seldom that can easily remember everything