The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-06-02
CopYmGnr BY AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.

Did you know that l was an actress rs
well as a singer"
II knew what you refer to the first
moment we met" answered he, with
friendly smile. ~ had seen Mile. Ma.
rama abroad
She did not need to ask him whether
he had kept her secret. Between per
sons of n certain order of integrity as
surances of such kind are superfluous.
She breathed sigh of relief. He had
known, and yet had not withheld his re
spect, the respect of Il gentleman. Her
sad heart began to take II little courage
81 think know your father. Mr. Ran.
dolph," he resumed, with the slightest
accent of Interrogation. you must not
think me Paul Pry, but Mr.. Randolph
is gentleman of the old school, not
good dissimulator, and he accidentally
betrayed himself to me one day without
knowing it. Perhaps | ought to have
confessed to him, but am n wretchedly
undecided mortal about such things. and
have been debating for the last month
what had better do More than month:
in fact, ever since Geoffrey Bellingham
went away"
AS he carelessly uttered the last
words his glance passed over her. She
did not move an eyelid. Her breath
stopped for few moments. but that could
not be seen.
'She has already learned some things,
poor girlr' thought Wallie to himself.
"Your main object in entering the pro.
fession must be nearly achieved" he
presently continued, as she remained
silent
"You think it was only the object
that justified me?" she said quickly.
"If were you," he replied, 81 would
be myself in the future"
"But can | sing any more?"
/ Speaking for the public, should say
sing on forever. You have gained n
footing from which nothing can dislodge
you. You peed no other woman's repu-
tation, and the public will easily forgive
you the ruse you have put upon them;
indeed they have nothing to forgive"
IL would rather you found fault with
me than made it easy for me-" she said
with a trenor in her voice. There is
no one else | can go to-
81 don't think you need u scolding."
= returned Wallie. with his kindly smile
"The past is done with. can imagine
| you have had IN uphill time of it in
many wFTs. But yon have gone far to
rehabilitate completely Nile Marana's
be very reluctant to have il known that
she canpot claim the merit,ef the vindi-
cation. Another season you would
| probably be free from vulgar annoyance,
even were You to continue your present
disguise, but in your own name and with
the outside protection which it would
enable you to command you would he
| perfectly secure. However, sha'n't pre-
tend to advise You, Mademoiselle-Mis
Randolph. In the first place am an
interested party-I want you to go on
singing for my own benefit; and. fur
thermme, | cannot tell how far the
pleasures of the profession may seem to
! You TO outweigh the drawbacks-or vice
! versa"
"It's the only thing I'm good for
that's all, said she, looking up at him.
II wonder what Geoffrey would say to
that thought Wallie. by Jove! it's
outrageous what fools these boys and
! girls will he. They will-they seem to
like it! Well, then, they deserve to have
their little miseries. don't they? Of
course they do! wish / were"-he
checked himself and dropped his eyes,
which had dwelt too Long upon her love
illness. Come, come he said to him
self severely, 'this viii never do. At
tend to your business, old two-and- forty,
and pay proper reverence to your daugh-
teri"
He got Gip and said aloud:
Miss Randolph, I'm going to ask you
d great favor. I'm an old man, as /
needn't tell you, and am slave to my
habits. Would you permit me to smoke
cigarette2 What small wits ] have go
hopelessly wool gathering if don't keep
them together with little tobacco"
Miss Randolph smiled.
my father always smoked" said she.
''it would make me feel at home"
"Dear met" thought Wailie ruefully.
-'she might have let me of as an elder
brother! But she takes me at my own
valuation--bless her heart! Now let Us
see what can be DONE"
He lit his cigarette, and sent the
smoke curling through his nose. Art
Is certainly great resource" he observ-
ed, "and a noble one. It has beer. said.
and it may be true, that it admits Of no
rivals. II ones affections are unoccu-
pied-one's human affections, mean
and are likely to remain so, dare say
one could not do better than to devote
ones self wholly to art. You feel, you
say, that there is nothing else you could
possibly prefer to it; that you were
made for music and for nothing else?"
Nothing else" she repeated in "a
husky voice, feeling as if, with those
words, she had surrendered her last ST.
cret of hope of happiness.