The times., 1899-07-09

coolly informed the inefficient one that af
ter Saturday night he could go to-some
other company for all of him.
Not that Vance particularly minded do
ing that for his salary's sake. for the
aforesaid salary was by no means munifi-
cent and a continual series Of sarcastic re-
marks. hard notices and misapplied Kisses
had taken all the soul out of his work.
But a certain heroine's part in the play
which exploited Vance himself was as
sumed by a Miss Eaton, for whom the
embryo scoundrel had great regard, and
being torn from her seemed even worse
than being torn from S35 week. AT first
he had meant to ask her to go with him,
but later on he had reflected, counted
the house." and decided that proposing
marriage on So cents and no prospects took
more impudence than that possessed by
badgered heavy villain. AT the last mo-
ment he repented and wished that he had
risked it anyway, but it was too late. At
ter the final curtain there was just time
for dressing and nine minutes to catch the
train for long jump. If proposing had
been only a matter of a few words he
would have taken chances even then, but
a man whose uneneumbered property foots
up to less than dollar feels more like
handling such subjects by telegraph than
word of mouth at best, and three minutes
never.
When Vance had summed all this up the
hero had come off the stage and the or
chestra was playing music that would have
made the theft of chicken seem blood
curdling. The buzz saw to be used in at
tempting to murder the heroine was max
ing a noise that justified its name and left
a margin. Vance got up and brushed him.
self before trying homicide for the last
time. II the scaffold had been the end
awaiting him he could not have felt worse.
The manager was in the audience, and the
unhappy, would-be scoundrel would have
given all of his false jewelry to see that
individual die of apoplexy in time to spoil
the performance for the evening.
Alone and unprotected drifted in from
the stage, and with the consciousness that
Miss Eaton was waiting to die he walked
past the wings to the front with angry
strides. The heroine looked at him pity
ingly, and he turned away, wishing that 1t
were manly to weep. Then she delivered
her first line, and in a moment they were
quarreling. Everything went smoothly IN
til within a few minutes of the time to
ring down the curtain, when he discovered
that she wanted to speak to him, and de-
cided to let her. He had a line coming,
and he walked up close to her before say
ing it.
'You have trifled with me long enough"
he remarked, loudly, in accordance with
the directions of the stage manager, land
now tell you for the last time to be more
careful of what you say. Have you no
respect left for me?'
No" she replied, energetically, and
while the gallery was applauding the
doubtful sentiment, managed to get In to
him: You do not make this last jump
with us?"
Unfortunately not" he said. 81 was
informed that / might drop after this
Standard why not?" This last in des-
perately angry tone. The boys upstairs
were growing enthusiastic.
why not" came back the response to
the cue; because you are coward and a
cur. because you have treated me as no
man of honor would treat a woman, be-
cause l hate and despise you more than
even l can tell you; that is why-we are
awfully sorry to lose you; awfully sorry
" Be careful. l have warned you for the
last time, and II you do not beg my pardon
for that / will"
''You will what?" It was coming too fast
for side remarks now, and man In the
dress circle dropped his programme.
'I WILL will tie you TO the log resting
there, l will pull that lever, / will see that
you never repeat your abuse in this world
-never-neyeri"
You Will not, for if you do. as sure as
there is a God above us, l will carry you
with me. If it is the last thing accomplish.
l may die but will have company" There
was a round of applause and he found time
to say will you really be sorry" with
noticeable emphasis on the you"
Il will care more than you can guess"
she said.
Thank you-you will do no such thing
and you know it. I give you one chance
and last one. You must, you will hear
me, and what is more" in Kissing tone,
you will do what ask"
THAT depends on what you wish" she
said, and then to him, "I-I-I-really-re-
ally and truly wish / could go with you"
"You must accompany me-" he cried.
..I will not" she answered, and in the
cat-calls that followed he was able to get
his enthusiasm we'll up and say earnestly,
You will go with me, Miss Eaton-you
can. / love you-Alice-I love you, and
have loved you with all my heart, and
and-and I'm going to keep on loving
If you will let me" And then in the
tone made necessary by the insistence OF
the stage director. VIII you be my wife?
VIII you?" he whispered Immediately aft
er. taking up his former conversation
where he had left off. The manager no.
ticed his earnestness and thought that he
was really acting remarkably well. Then
Miss Eaton spoke.
mo. never" she said, and then in low
voice, intense with emotion, 80, George,"
Then die said Vance, and it was no.
ticed that when he threw her on the buzz
saw IL was even more tenderly than usual
and that the kiss he forced on her was
real. And when the manager came back
to praise his work and tell him to remain
with the company he found the heroine
sitting on the lap of her wouldbe mur-
derer.