The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-08-21

eassly touch ana cry the edge Of tho In
strufnent.
But she was o bravo woman, and sweet
as life Is to most OF us It Ia doubly dear
whom another's depends upon It, Must
TINT bright, curly headed boy learn that
his mother had suffered death at the hands
Of O madmanf
"Yours must have been most unoer-
tain life," she continued, in the hope of
divertfng his thoughts, while she partially
screened her face from the freight and
furtiyely followed his every expression.
Again the glittering eyes flashed as he
spoke.
1.-THE life Of knowledge condemned by
tho ignorant; shrinking and hiding away
by day, wandering solitary, starving and
haunted by night, because 1 would en-
Tighten the world, But they ever pursue
me. Hark, did you not hear stepr'
He started, half rose and listened, one
hand tightly grasping the glittering knife,
the hungry, haunted eyes fixed on the
calm, fair woman before him.
''It is no one. l shall not be interrupted
for some time" she returned as composed
ly as ever. Recovering himself, his face
assumed a look Of cunning that had been
stranger to IL hitherto.
Often and often had her Incompatible
acting and presence Of mind favorably de-
oided the fate Of q play trembling in tho
balance of the first nights decision. Her
very life was at stake now; she would
make one effort tosave 1t. A glorious idea
thrilled her bewildered brain and steadied
her shaking nerves. Her art, the goddess
she had served and worshiped, should not
desert her now. With an inward prayer
to that higher power which each one Of us
acknowledges in moments Of extreme peril
she thought Of her role in the new drama.
1t might answer her very need.
She turned with tho bewitohing smile
that was known half over Europe and
said: Monsieur, one moment, IL you
please. Ihave to rehearse new part for the
first time tomorrow, and MS 1t will natu-
rally be too late to do so after my operation
with your permission will go through II
once again before we begin. Please take
my chair near the fire. 1t may perhaps in.
terest you to hear me-" With her white
jeweled hand she shook up the cushions
and gradtfilfy waved him toward 1t.
She stood before him, this beautiful re-
nowned woman, In her trailing, cleaning
draperies and her matchless grace, as she
had stood before kings in the zenith OF
her success, and began to act for higher
wage than she had ever received yet-her
own life
Still she was gaining time. At any mo-
ment now the guests might pass her door
on their way to their rooms to dress for the
evening.
How oppressiyely the exotics scented the
airl Surely the atmosphere was becoming
thicker. How difficult it was to breathel
The lights were burning DINNER now
nay, the lights in the room were pair Of
dark, glittering eyes-one pair. Ten thou
sand that were burning into her brain.
But bewarel His hand is seeking the pol
isbed steel bladel She must not lot her in
forest flag in her part. She sees the only
thing that is left her to love-ber boy
and hears him ask for his mother. She
secs the child In the play, and stands be-
fore her merciless husband, who now looks
go sike her silent guest. She begs, she i'm
plures with the passionate tears and
prayers the part demands, hut her voice
grows louder and louder. 1t rings through
tho room and echoes in the corridor, and
yet the man never moves. He secs what
she sees; he feels as she feels There isa
desperate cry for her own life-one long,
reverberating cry for her child's. Then
hark-a stepl Two, three, dozens Of hur-
rying feet rushing along the corridor and
bursting into the room. With starting
eyeballs and ashen lips she points to her
tormentor and yells; "Seize himi He is
madp'
Not tomorrow nor for many tomorrows
did Mime. Matilda rehearse the play in
which she subsequently rose to the height
of her genius, for critical attack of brain
fever and weary oonvalesoence followed
the visit of her lunatio guest, who on the
night Of that eventful day was safely re-
lodged In q maison dc sante under the
superintendent of the doctor whose name
he had borrowed.-B. e. Stone in New
York Advertiser.