Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-06-25

the very rummy way Ill which 1t has come to us. Supposing it should have been stolen, eh?''
 "That is hardly probable, think. was the rejoinder, "and if you think of taking the piece in hand you might feel your way ahead little by putting q few preparatory notices in the news papers.
 "How would that safeguard us?" ask ed the manager.
 "Why, ill the event of the play hay ing been cribbed or unfairly como by, the notice might catch the cyc of somc person interested, who would of course communicate with you"
 True. v said MT. Billhurst thought fully; II will give the matter my con sideratiOn.
 The manager was very much worried just then about his accounts, which showed an ugly deficit. His last venture had lost him e2, ,OOO. The current piece was not paying its way.
 But, damme, there's money in this new piece, said Mir. BillhurSt to him self confidently, "aDd, tell you what it is, will put it on and take all chances.
 Having once made up his mind, tho manager did not let the grass grow un- der his feet Within fortnight tho new tragedy was i'll full rehearsal. It went well from the beginning The manager was in great feather. He saw sure and phenomenal success before him. Then an accident happened which nearly turned his hair gray. On the night be fore the last dress rehearsal and only two nights before the production of the piece, Standish, the leading tragClian, was attacked and robbed ill Drury lane. being SD roughly handled that the po- lice, who found him lying stunned on the pavement, took him straight to the nearest hospital. Here he lay i'll very precariOus condition.
 The manager, who only heard the news when he came down to the thcatcr the next morning, was well nigh beside himself.
 Good God, Quillet!" he cjaculatrd, with grcau, the play is as good as damned. Everything depends on that part, and Standish's $ undrrstudy will never carry it through on the first night.
 Tt is q bad business, " admitted Quil- let rucfully.
 "Plcasc, sir, " said one of the call boys, thrusting his head ill at the door, there's n gent to see you.
 "D-n the gent, " cried the manager. I'm busy; I'm"-
 But the callboy had withdrawn, and Mir. Billhurst found himself lcvclling these remarks at tall dark complex 
 toned stranger. who stood lowing and smiling in tho doorway.
 MT. Outlet gave q start and pluckcd his friend hy the sleeve.
 Ut is the mysterious author of the piece, he whispered.
 Good morning, Mir. Outlet" said the stranger. "CIood morning, MT Bill hurst This is unfortunate news about poor Standish. '
 "You have heard it, them" said the manager. oying him with a shrrwd, in tereStcd glance.
 "YrS, and l came here nt once What do you propose to do, may I usk:'' "GoI knows. I'm sure the undcrstudy will mako hash of it." gromrd the manager
 Most probably. Now, ,iin going to make startling proposition to y'u. In trust me with the part" "Yru:" rja"ula;rd tho uElna-,r. ID you know anything about ;,rt.ny:"
 A great deal But try l!r and >r"," " said the other confidently. "Cumr, will rch,ar>c that srcir ln the third act for your benefit now. The manager said nothing, hut he allG Mir. Outlet exchanged glMcos, Taking l their silence for consent t'is txtraurdi nary man started his self suggested re hearsaL. In five minutes tho manager. | rueful face Was elatcd. flushed, eager with new hope
 By hcavcn!' he exclaimed cXcitcdly Repeat that on tho stage, Mr. What s l your name, and we'll mako the piece |; magnificent success yct !'
 They did The first night $ audience received the new tragedy with cnthuSi astic favor. They called the pcrformcr and particularly the new actor-be fore the curtain again and again. H. was certainly splendid The wonderful | topheles was, said the next day newspa pers, as convincing performance of it kind as had ever been seen upon th London stage. Billhurst was ill grra spirits. He believed that he had hit Uppl a theatrical Eldurado When he quite, the thcater that night, he felt mos amiably disposed ward hinI:r and al mankind.
 But at the stage door hr -,N, a ...la which staggered him. 4 far w;,yri c,.' was waiting outside. and Icing for,, into this cab ly three iuly l." l:n men, against whum h. wa- sliu.-I ]" like tiger, WAS the l;ly>trrj"u> ~tr,,rl ger. X gent lcm.il Stu:pi l,y. apparent /, experimenting thcS" operations. Whc' be saw the munger, hc came f,rwar and raised his A4,.
 "Mr. B!ilhurst:
 "TlIe s;;mc What the deuce does thi mean?" cried the manager. "I am Dr. X. of the '. asylum" cS | plained the other. "YOu haVo taken most dangerous recruit into your com pany, MT. Billhurst. He is one of ou worst cases"
 Good heavens !' calculated tho man ager. "You don't mean to say that th mans mad:'
 "Hopelessly So. And very cunnin and dangerous This is the third tim he has escaped ill six weeks. From il formation which we havo received. W have little doubt that it was he who Ina murdered poor MT. Standish.
 "He?' cried the manager, his ey,
  l "I-I-saw that hc was peculiar. Bl it never occurred to me that he was il l sane"
 No; because his particular delusio happened to fall in with your theatric requirements, and so passed, natural . enough, for a mere stage assumption