The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1896-09-19

be said.
Same as usual" she answered. "He
doesn't change much. That's his daugh-
ter over there'-and she swept her arm
vaguely toward crowd OF girls who
were sitting on flight of red steps.
'The one with pink ribbon in her
hairY asked Morgan.
"No, that's the comedians wife Mrs.
Winters. r'he girl with the yellow
tights is Minnie Grips. She and the
comedians wife are thick as thieves.
They don't love me and / don't love
them. Some day I'll get even with
them-Mrs. Winters first, though"
you're SPANISH asked Morgan.
looking at her lustrous hair and her
dark Spanish eyes.
Yes, my name is Anita Cortez."
II remember you now. You do n
Spanish dance around dagger stuck
in the stage"
Eyes, and If 1t wasn't for that dance
Mrs. Winters and I-oh well, I'll tell
you after the show. Going anywhere
after the show? No? Well, the cur
tain drops at 1854 o'clock and It takes
me about twenty minutes to get out.
I'll meet you In the ladies' saloon at the
cafe around the corner at IL 30 o'clock.
have to go up stairs and dress for the
second act now. When | come down
I'll show you my dagger. It's beauty,
full OF Jewels, and | can throw 1t fifty
feet and hit a bulls eye. There goes
the curtain down on the first act. I'm
late" And she darted up the stairs.
Then there was pushing and shov-
ing and hauling and holsting as the
coatless scene shutters began setting
the scenes for the second act. The or
chestra leader came through a little
door that led up from under the stage.
Grips caught sight of him.
Don't give an encore for the opening
chorus tonight, Betterton. We're four
minutes late now on the first act. It's
twenty-one of ten"
"All right" answered the orchestra
leader. There's a fine house out
front" Then, after pause Say,
Cripps, | don't want to interfere, but
that Cortez woman Is flirting with ev-
cry man In the house again. She's got
my first violin daft. He made two dis
cords just because he can't keep his
eyes of her.,
81 warned that Cortez mink two
weeks ago that I'd fire her The two
weeks are up to-night-and she goes.
l guess she knows 1t, too, for she's been
looking ugly-confound herr He pull
ed out his watch. Were ready for
you, Betterton," and as the orchestra
leader disappeared through the little
door Grips called upstairs: "All down
for the second actr
! A few minutes later the curtain went
up on the second act. Crlpps was swear
ing, as usual, and a sensitive chorus
girl was crying because he had merely
called her -waddling hog" and had
threatened to fine her II she didn't
walk with her head up in the air and
not down on her chest "as II she was
roofing for walnuts." The act was half
over when Morgan saw Anita Cortez
coming down the wooden steps, At
the foot OF the steps stood the come
dams wife, Hay Winters Her back
was toward Anita. In a second the
dancer had drawn a dagger from her
belt--another second and she took n
quick look around. No one but Nor
gan observed her; she saw that he was
looking at her, and SO she threw kiss
at him. Then, like flash, the dagger
flew through the air and buried itself
to the hilt In May Winters back Stimuli
taneous with her shrek came cry
from the dancer. AS she deliberately
tumbled down the steps, landing on
top of the wounded woman. With the
quickness of lightning she pulled the
dagger from the quivering flesh and
sprang to her feet
MY God" she cried my God.
Grips. come here. My foot slipped on
the stairs and the dagger flew out of
my hands. wounding May Winters. and
oh, my foots sprained and there's my
cue" And with limp she bounded on
the stage and throwing the dagger.
dripping with blood, point downward,
she danced around il like wild thing;
while the audience moved by her fren-
zy, rose and cheered again and again
at her tempestuous and whirlwind-like
entrance.
Behind the scenes a different part
was being played. The wounded wom-
an was carried into a nearby dressing
room and the stage carpenter had sped
up the street for a doctor. Winters. the
comedian. was stanching the flow of
blood with his cap. The woman was
unconscious.
'She did II on purpose" said Cripps.
'rhat fall of hers was n regular stage
fall-you can't fool me-"
Il don't think II was done purpose
ly." said Winters, unsteadily. He bent
his head and the tears slowly rolled
down his cheeks and fell on the pink
tights OF the hurt woman. Grips walk
ed softly to the door and went out: he
whlstled softly to himself.
The doctor arrived just as Grips
came TO the door again: Hurry up,
Winters-your cue"
by heavens, Grips, | can't sing a
topical song now"
ITS your bread and butter out front
there. Your wlfe's in that room. You
can't help her by staying. Better look