The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-06-10

came time to make the change for the
next act.
She complained to the stage man.
ager, but that official could offer no
practical suggestion. He was certain
1t was none of the stage boys and that
was all the satisfaction she could OBJ
tain.
The matter both annoyed and inter
ested her. 1t takes but little to make
talk In a company, and she wisely
held her peace; but she kept sharp
eye out in the hope of discovering the
offender.
She even made practice of running
to the window the moment the curtain
fell in the hope of discovering the
writer erasing the lines but by that
time the marks had been obscured and
she could only wait for time to unravel
the mystery.
On the 25Oth performance Agnes
Carleton celebrated the event by intro
ducing a new gown. In place of the
white satin, which was beginning to
show the marks of wear and tear, she
appeared in handsome black satin,
which caused every woman in the au-
dience a pang of jealousy and Incl
dentally got her several newspaper
items.
AS usual, Annice stood by the win
dow wondering who her unknown adj
mirer might be. Lady Gwendolin gave
her customary shrek and Annice
turned with a scream of terror to be-
hold the villains wicked work.
Tonight she supplemented her stage
horror with a cry more natural. Lady
Gwendolin fell with her face toward
the audience, that they might marvel
at the play of her facial expression
as she slowly died from the effects of
Maltravers' cruel blow. There on the
back of the black satin were the marks
of mans fingers clearly outlined In
white.
In a flash 1t all came to her. Hugh
Cameron, who played Maltravers, was
the only person who left the stage. He
made his exit from the very window
cut of which she had been looking. All
of the other characters were supposed
to enter from the castle on the opposite
side Of the stage.
1t was an easy matter to chalk the
legend while she was having her scene
with Miss Carleton. Then when he
fed from the consequence of his muir
e derous assault he could rub out the
1 chalk marks.
Only the black satin dress had been
D out of his calculations. When he had
grappled with Lady Gwendolin, the
chalk from his imperfectly cleaned
: fingers had left their mark. On the ole
e white dress they had not been notice
I able.
All through the last act the inciden
e kept running through her head. Sh'
Y liked Cameron very much, better thai
% anyone else in the company. He haC
5 been so kind to her In many ways, 81
'. deferential, she could not believ
lie that he had sought TO insult her. Sh
% could not even imagine him doing sucl
'e n thing even for a joke He was no
lie that sort of a man.
t. 1t hurt her to think that he had
st hand In his joke. Just as the curtai
fell at the close of the act she turne
IL to Cameron.
id 81 should like to speak to you afte
a you have changed" she said simply.
ne He bowed, but 1t was with no cas-
pr heart that he awaited her coming o
the dark stage.
Mt She preached the subject directl!
e. 'Mr. Cameron" she demanded, "wh
ID do you annoy me by chalking such al
~ surd sentiments underneath the viii
or dow in the second actT'
'How do you knows" he counters
~ "You left chalk marks on Nil
is Carleton's black dress this evening
If she explained. "Now 1 want to kno