The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-09-15

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forts to- assurlie ! proper abstraction
cf m~alinergsnnd contemptuons indiffcr-
ence to Clarence's surroundings,
which should wound his vanity. end.
ed in his l6lIing back ntsfull length
in the chair with his eyesson the cell.
ing. But, remembering suddenly that
he wi really the bearer Of q message
to- Clarence, II struck him that his sn-
pine position was, from a theatrical
view point, infelicitous.
IN his experience OF the stnre he
had never delivered q message IN that
way. He rose awkwardly to his feet.
ut vas 80 good OF you to wait"
said Clarence courteously.
Saw YOU in the fheater,, said
Hooker, brusquely, Third row in
Iurquet. Susy said it WINS you and
had sutliin' to say to yci.5 Suthin,
you ought to Know be continued,
with q slight return Of his old mys-
tory OF manner, which Clarence SO
Mcll remembered. you saw her-she
fetched the house with that flag busi-
ness. eh2 She knows which way the
cat is goin' to jump-you bet. 1 tell
YOU, fo1. all the blowing of these Sc.
ccesion;sts. the UNIONS goin' to pay!
Yes. sir" He stopped, glanced
around the handsome room md add.
ed, darby: "Mebbe better than this"
With the memory of Hooker's char
acteristic fondness for mystery still
in his mind, Clarence overlooked the
~innOcrdo, and said, smiling: <
Why didn't you bring Mrs. Hooker
here? I should have been honored
with her company"
Mr.. Hooker frowned slightly Mt this
seeming levity. Never goes out aft
or q performance. Nervous exhaus-
ton. Left her at cur rooms in Mar
ket street. We can drive there in ten
minutes. That's why l asked the car
rage to wait"
Clarence hesitnted. Without caring
in the least to renew the acquaintance
of his old playmate and sweetheart, a
meeting that night in some vague
way suggested to him a providential
diversion. Nor was he deceived by
any gravity in the message; with his
remembrance OF Susy's theatrical ten
denotes, he was quite prepared for any
capricious futile extrayngancc.
you are sure we will not disturb
her?" he said, politely.
No.
Clarence led the way to the car
rage. If Mr.. Hooker expected him
during the journey to try to divine
the purport of Susy's message he was
disappointed. His companion did not
allude to it, possibly looking upon it
as a combined theatrical performance.
Clarence preferred to wait for Susy as
the better actor.
The carriage rolled rapidly through
the now deserted streets and, at last,
under the directions of Mr.. Hooker,
who was leaning half out of the win
dow, it drew up at a m~iddle-class res
%taurant, on whose still lit and steam
ing windows were some ostentatious-
Ily public apartments, accessible from
a side entrance.
As they assembled the staircase to-
3gether it became evident that Mr..
Hooker was scarcely more at his ease
iii the character of host than he had
been as guest.
He stared gloomily at a descending
visitor, grunted audibly at a waiter
in the passage, and stopped before a
door where 4 recently deposited tray
displayed the hulf-eaten carcass of a
fowl, an empty champagne bottle, two
half-filled glasses and u faded bou-
quet. The whole passage wa redolent
with a singular blending of damp
cooking, stale cigarette smoke and
patchouli.
Putting the tray aside with his foot,
Mr.. Hooker opened the door hesitat-
ingly and peered into the room, NUT
tered a few indistinct words, which
were followed by a rapid rustling Of
skirts, and then, with his hand still
on the door knob, turning to Clarence,
who had discreetly halted in the
threshold, flung the door open theat-
rically and babe him enter.
"She is somewhere in the suite" lie
added, with a large of the hand
towards q door that was stin oscillat-
ing. BE here in a mint"
Clarence took in the apartments
with a quick glance. Its furniture
had the frayed and discolorcd splen.
doris of a public parlor which had
been privately used and m%altreated;
there were stains In the large metal
lined carpet, the gilded veneer had
been Clipped from a heavy center tn
BILE, showing the rough, white deal
beneath, which gave it the appear
ance of a stage property. the walls
paneled with gilt-framed mirrors re-
Elected every domestic detail or pri-
waite relaxation with shameless pub
licity.
a damp waterproof shawl and open
newspaper We're lying across the once
brilliant sofa; u powder puff, u plate
of fruit and q play book were on the
center table, and ut the marble topped
sideboard was Mrs. Rockers second
best hat. with a soiled collar, evident
ly but lately exchanged for the one
he had on, pecping over it's brim.
The whole apartment seemed to
mingle the furtive disclosures Of the
dressing room with the open ostenta-
lions of the stage, with. even q slight
suggestion of the auditorium in IL few
scattered programs on the floor and
chairs.
The inner door opened again with
n slight theatrical start, and Susy in
an elaborate dressing gown moved
languidly into the room.
She apparently had not had time to
change her underskirt, for there was
the dust of the stuge on Its delicate
lace edging as she threw herself into
an armchair and crossed her pretty
slippered feet before her. u
Her face was pale, it's pallor incau-
tiously increased by powder, and as
Clarence looked Mt it's still youthful,
charming outline he was not perhaps
sorry that the exquisite pink and
white skin beneath, which he had
once kissed, was hidden from that
awakened recollection.
Yet there was little trace of the
girlish Susy in the pretty but prema-
turely jaded actress before him. and
he felt momentarily relieved. 1t was
! her youth and freshness appealing to
his own youth and imagination that
he had loyed-not her.
Yet as she greeted him with a slight
exaggeration Of glance, voice and
manner, he remembered that even rs
u girl she was an actress.
Nothing of this, however, was in-his
voice. and nnRpnHr as hA rpnf1v