Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-01-21
By CHAxL1 0AxyIun

stage and was not easy TO see.
You here" she said TO the villain,
and at the voice, more than at the
face, BERTHE fell back as if knocked
down by sudden bow.
Mearciful Heaven! it was the
picture come to life! 1t was the
beautiful girl whom he had seen In
the rooms above his own, the girl ne
had rescued from Stuart Villiars!
For a moment his brain whirled anu
the blood rushed to his face, then he
laughed.
Mad indeed ne muttered. i've
got to the pass when l take a girl on
the stage for her! | had better choose
/ a comfortable asylum while there's
time!"
! and he leaned back and would rot
/ lock at her, just to cure himself OF Ela
mad craze.
But as Joan went on speaking, and
her voice continued knocking at the
door OF his memory, his face grew
paler and his breath came quicker.
He took up his glasses, very much
as Royce had zone when first he had
recognized her in the same way, and
with trembling hands held them to his
eyes.
Slowly, surely, the Iact-not to be
laughed away, not to be argued out or
existence-bore in upon him.
The girl on the stage, Ida Trevelyan,
was the girl he had saved from Stuar;
Villiars, the girl who was like the
picture locked up in his cabinet.
He dropped the glasses; he was so
near the stage that he did not need
them, and keeping behind the curtains,
watched her with feverish, burning
intensity.
She was playing magnitcently, but
he took no note OF that If she had
been talking double Dutch" and dane
ing a cellar-hap, 1t would have been
all the same to him.
The house hung enraptured upon
every word they sat there with
GREATNESS interest, while the villain
tempted her; and when at last, mad
dened and tortured by his insidious
sophistry, she raised her hand ana
struck him across the lips, the huge
audience rose at her with wild roar
of approval and delight.
The play was stopped for a second
or two; Joan stood firm, making no
sign. She would not take any notice
OF the applause in the middle OF the
act, and after a second or two the play
proceeded.
BERTHE watched, stunned and be,
wildered.
This magnificent, beautiful creature,
with the mien and bearing OF an en-
press, the helpless, fearful girl he ha,.
recued from Stuart Villiars, He could
scarcely believe his eyes, his ears!
and yet it was true. lie could not be
mistaken.
Suddenly, as he sat. his gaze riveteo
to her face, he saw a thin streak OF
misty yapor rise from one OF the wings
opposite him.
He watched it absently, uncon-
sciousiy tor moment or two then, as
1t grew in size and density, his atten.
ton work to it,
What was it?
While he asked himself this ques-
ton, yellow tongue OF flame shot
out of the flies, and he knew that what
ne was looking at was--fre.
! Nobody else seemed W see it but
himself; It grew ana expanded with
devilish rapidly, noiseless as yet,
but persistent.
, | reached the top OF the fringe
under the proscenium and caught
| there.
And in anothe. instant it ghded
into the sight OF the crammed ana
packed audience. In second the
awful cry arose: Fire"
In another second every one, every
man and woman, seemed TO rise as II
moved by one impulse, and the wild
cry, "Fire!" rose from a thousand
threats.
In yet another second the tongue OF
flame had licked round the proscenlum
and gained the scenery, and the whole
of the back OF the stage was a sheet
OF flame.
1t was awful to see how quickly 1t
spread, Ihere was a Wild yell OF
error ami despair.
Men sprang on TO their seats and
waved their hands, women tainted; a
rush was made for the doors, which
becoming rapidly choked, blocked the
exit as surely as if every entrance was
masked with iron, Yells. impreea-
tons, prayers, rose in Wild confusion.
And in the midst OF the uproar, in
/ front OF the now blazing scenery,
stood the exquisite figure OF Joanr-ot
Ida Trevelyan-her face pale but calm,
her white hands Lifted imploringly.
! Keep your seats, Keep your seats
and you are safe" BERTHE heard her
/ cry, the pure, clear voice ringing out
like that OF a bell across the din.
| 1t maddened him.
She looked up, started; even in that
awful moment, as her eyes fell upon
his face, she recognized him.
Then she shook her head.
Il am lost" she said. Save them.
Make them keep their seatsl"