The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-11-18
AT THE PLAY.

should mistake the 1ITst slSnal OF ols
tress as mere physical intirmity.
She continued quickly:
s'That reminds mel don't know
why it reminds me, but it does; force
of habit perhaps, because he hates bad
" turned out women sO-Don is up III
town tonight. Did you know: IwondeI
if we shall come across him."
You mean Lord kilmore's younger
son.
You remember Don p
Her glance, meeting his full, showed
some surprise at his obvious i'll temper.
She put her hand out hurriedly, with a
pretty, unaffected gesture of sympathy.
Dear You're not ILL.,"
Nothing irritateS a man whose IlVel
is out of order so much as being re-
minded of the fact. The deepening
curves at Chirnocll's mouth grew posi-
lively rigid with irritation.
s'Of course not. Is anything ever the
matter with me? How your imagination
runs away with you-dearest! Tho
dearest was dutiful concession tc
the situation but, somehow, she shranh
from it, her ardor chilled, the keenness
Of her enjoyment marred already.
1--WE have still ten minutes to wall
before the curtain rises" he said. He
regretted his customary after Dime,
coffee. "What if 1 took the Cpportunl'
ty of explaining to you the motif OF tht
play? 1t is q trifle complex.
II would be kind of you, )" she said,
with little smile, but, notwlthstand
inS, her eyes showed some disappolnt
mgut as she scanned the house. She
was longing to speak the sweet hanali
ties to which most lovers find it pleasant
to listen; to make her bright little
comments and butterfly criticisms; Il
sip to its full the evenings cup Of eva
nescent enjoyment; to be, i'll word,
hersalf-tho creature of the moment
and his own.
She had locked forward TO tonight
tine first Of her emancipation-witL
raHturous excitement. 1T will be al
most US good as being his wife, " she hat
confidcd to the married sister undei
whose chaperonage she was spending
tho Fl hours in town, which broke hel
Journey between her Worcestershire Wis
j. and her travels farther north. "TC
.... him all to myself for whole even
ing! To feel that really belong to hin
az he belongs TO me! Can you imagine
| anything more perfect:?''
Lady Guthrie could, easily, but slit
did not say so. She had only net Chin
mock once, and he impressed hey as {
prig and a bore, and Margot's angry
disclaimers could not alter her sister,
opinion.
"You have to marry him, not l..
she said comfortably. "What does i
matter what l think? He's well off
which is something At least you cal
congratulate yourself so far. No ont
can patronize you. Your women friends
won't be able to pass you on their un
becoming last years clothing nor theIl
husbands stale tobacco. "
You re prejudiCed," Margot replied
"All sisters are Which III sense
was true, for Lady Guthrie's sylnpath!
was openly enlisted Oh behalf of tin
| scapegrace of the Fillmore family, youn:
Don Garrick, who had adored Margo
since she trespassed barefaCcdly ant
barefoot in the Fillmore deer forest as I
little child. But Margot, having sys
tematically dominated MIN for IS years
already felt the pleasure might pail /
long continued. He has been so muCl
to me all my life. 1t would be boring
\ for him to become more still during tn
rest of it. | know him so well-to
| well" she said, in excuse for her COLI
| heartedness. But at objections such a
these Lady Guthrie shook her head il
stern disclaimer.
"Wait," she said sageIy, ''wait.
| And Margot waited.
Tonight for the first time she say
something of the reverse side of he
| new picture, the canvas back. Was
disloyal to wish that Mr.. Chinook be
| haved more as one expects lover t
| behave even in public, that he SHOULD
show some sort Of open pride Of posses
| sion, Of glad proprietorship: IL the ROY
| Immediately in front of them there wa
gay, absorbed young couple, chatting
| laughing, looking, smiling, reading
| their own tender meanings into til
| most trivial incidents of the evening
| Margot watched them, fascinated i
spite Of herself. How differently the
| behaved from herself and her lover! Th
| man leaned slightly forwgrd-he hn
| got it badly Don would have said
| Every now and then his coat slecy
| touched the little immovablo whit
| gloved hand next his and fingered for
moment caressingly. Margot' 5 eyes grew
| tender, distracted. 1t was so pretty. s.
natural Ii woke her sympathy an,
gave her pleasant little feeling of com
partnership. Almost unconsciously sh
| herself moved Il little closer.
Are you attending? Margot, don
| believe you've heard Il word I've said.
| Margot started her cheeks ahame
and turned to him i'll generous apology
Dear, I'm so sorry. How dreadful O
me. It's all so fresh and new and won
| derful to Inc, you see. I'm bit seattle
Drained. Such intelligence as have
limited to only taking III one thing at
time Tell me all about it again. II
! listen, truly. Do forgive me, Richard
| please"
Her pleading broke down even Chin
mock $ Indignation. But his shirt from
looked extraordinarily stiff and starch
ed and white, rather like polished mar
BILE, she thought, or was it only papie
mache? And Margot moved iHstinctivel
little farther from him as he con
tinued:
Foremost in the ranks of our latte
day satirists James Lee Hoey stand
unequaled. She it was who PRACTICAL
founded the new school. She stand
alone. Her disciples initiate laboriousl
her brilliant dialogue, her scintillatin
epigram"-
"Her?'' the girl repeated vaguely
"Her? Why do you speak of him q
her? Surely he is a man. p"
"Do you mean he asked. ''Is
possible that living woman exists VIII
does not recognize the supreme fact tina
this one Of our greatest riters-l ha
almost said our one great writer-hol
ored her sex by belonging to it?'
81 never realized that to belong
either sex was question of ones ow
volition," Margot said quietly. 81 di
not know that James Lee Hoey was
woman. and. what is more, I'm not OF