Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-07-25

ImA8 ABOUT ner asked Lazy nam
bury.
Nothing T. speak of" said Col.
Eastwood, conscious double entente.
I'm just home from India, you
know"
There vas a knock at the door Of
the box The colonel rose and opened
1T. There was a whispered colloquy.
Then he returned and said: Lady
Rainbury, your nephew BERTHE is here.
He begs you to go to the door for q
minute"
impairment boy! Why can't he
come in?" said Lady Rainbury. But
she rose good-naturedly as she spoke.
Daphne felt a draft on her back,
and heard voices at the door, but
she did not concern herself with
them. There was a smothered eX-
clamation. Heavens! What have I
done? How could / know" A few
inarticulate sentences, and then the
door shut and Lady Rainbury re-
turned She looked ~curiously shaken.
"My dear" she said, her usual man.
ner quite gone, "shall we go home?
It's rather dull; don't you think SOP"
Daphne looked surprised. eff you
like, Lady Rainbury," she said. sub
missively, though she was disap-
pointed.
That's right, dear. Where are the
wraps?"
Colonel Eastwood half rose, with
an inquiring glance. At that moment
the curtain rose. Mrs. Calthorpe was
on the stage. Daphne paused, as if
fascinated; the actress was looking
at her. She was gorgeous in black
velvet and diamonds, with great
punches of violets at her breast and in
her hair.
AS she spoke her opening lines,
and stepped forward, a change came
over her face, a haggard, drawn look,
and a dazed expression in the eyes.
She stumbled, swayed and fell. In an
instant the curtain was wrung down.
Daphne leaned far out of the box,
with her hands clasped.
"Oh!" she almost sobbed, sis she i'll?
Is she dead?"
Lady Rainbury drew her gently
away. AS they left the theater a man
came before the curtain and told the
audience that Mrs. Calthorpe was toe
i'll to proceed.
Next morning the papers contained
a paragraph to the effect that Mrs.
Calthorpe was i'll at her hotel. Daphne
read the address and noted it. In the
afternoon Lady Rainbury left her for
an hour; she was expecting Mr.. Brooke
at tea-time. Without losing a minute
Daphne stole downstairs in jacket
and hat, and softly left the house,
hailed the first cab she saw, and drove
to the hotel. She had never been out
alone in town in her life, and was full
of m and vague alarms. She
paid the cabman-a shilling toe much
rallied all her forces, and entered
the hotel. 1t was a quiet one in a
rather questionable quarter. She
gave the attendant a card on which
she had written in her childish hand,
Daphne Brooke begs Mrs. Calthorpe
to see her if she is not too ILL.," Then
she sat down to wait
While the man was gone with the
card she sat in a chill of trepidation.
Soon he returned and ushered her up
stairs. The door of the room was
opened by a maid, who Immediately
withdrew.
On the sofa by the fire was Mrs.
Calthorpe, a mass of white tea-gown,
with a hollow, unpainted face. The
face quivered when Daphne came in.
ooh, are you better?" asked the
young girl, eagerly, taking the thin
hand which was extended.
Eyes, DEAR" said the actress. How
kind of you to come! What made
you think of it?"
81 knew it was all wrong to come"
said Daphne, with the divine candor
of a child, but I couldn't help it! I
did so want to say things"
"What things? Sit down here and
say them. Who was that with you
last night? I saw you in the box"
Lady Rainbury. Father and 1 met
her last summer, and she begged him
to let me have a week in town"
And she brought you to scene?
Why did she do that?"
Because I saw your picture in the
window-the one in the big black
hat-and 1 wanted so to see you! 1
never wanted anything so much, I
think"
1.-THE play was not a favorite of
mine," said the actress, a little un-
easily; 81 do much better ones than
that"
1t seemed to Daphne that Mrs. CAL
thorpe was quite feverishly glad to see
her.
did Lady Raiubury say that you
might Gomez"
"Oh, no! She went out-and father
is coming at tea-time to fetch me
but I slipped out without asking.
Perhaps it was wrong, but 1 couldn't
keep awayi You seemed to be pull
ing me, pulling me-all night in my
dreams. Isn't it curious-a stranger
like you? And I was miserable when
you fell. What was it?"
"a fainting fit have them some
times. 1t was sweet and dear of you
to come! What were the things you
wanted to say?"
ST don't know how to tell you-only
somehow 1 wondered whether you
were happy-but 1 suppose you are.
1t is q very brilliant life, isn't it-on
the stage-with those dresses and dia-
monds-and all the applause? Yor
must be happy"
Not always; there is another side"
Her voice sounded tired and bitter to
Daphne.
Ibid you ever have a daughter?"
asked the girl. Marion Calthorpe's