Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-16
CHAPTER Y.-(ContinuedO

Oh. the feel of that beautiful thing in my
hand I'd "a loved 1t If 1t hadn't been
worth penny. hut as it l adored it.
slipped the chain under my collar and
the diamond slid down my neck, and felt
its kiss my skin. 1 few down the black
corridor. humping into scenery and nearly
tripping two stage carpenters. l heard
Ginger. the call boy ahead of me and dodg-
ed behind some properties just in time. He
went whistling past and / got to the stage
door.
L pulled 1T open tenderly. cautiously, and
turned to shut it after me-
And
And something held it open in spite of
me.
Mono, Mag 1t wasn't a man. 1t wa. a
memory 1t rose up there and hit me right
over the heart-the memory of Nancy OIL
den's happiness the first time shed come in
this very door. feeling that she actually
had right to use a stage entrance feeling
that she belonged, she-Nancy-to this Won
derland of the stage!
You must never tell Tom, Mag promise!
He wouldn't see. He couldn't understand
couldn't make him know what l felt any
more than I'd dare tell him what 1 did.
i shut the door.
But not behind me. I shut It on the
street and-Mag. 1 shut forever another
door. too; the old door that opens out on
Crooked street. With my hand on nv
heart. that was beating as though it would
burst. l flew back again through the black
corridor. through the wings and out to
Obermullers office. With both my hands
ripped open the neck of my dress and
pulling the chain with that great diamond
hanging to It. l broke 1T with a tug. and
threw the whole thing down on the desk in
front of him.
For Gap r
1t so easy for me to stealr'
don know what happened for a minute
could see his face change half a dozen
ways In as many seconds. He took it up In
his ringers at last. 1t swung there at the
end OF the slender little broken chain like
great drop of shining water blushing and
sparkling and trembling
his hands trembied. too. and he looked up
at last from the diamond to my face
ITS worth at least fifty thousand yo,,
know-valued at that"
didn't answer.
He got up and came over to where T had
thrown myself on a bench
you enough?' 'A'
Il want to see Tom" begged. ITS so
long since he He's up at-at-in the
country"
Sing Sing?"
l nodded.
You poor little devil!''
That finished me. I'm not used to being
pitied.
sobbed and sobbed as though some dam
mad broken inside of me- You see, Mag,
knew in that minute that I'd been afraid
deathly afraid of Fred Obermuller's face
when it's scornful and sarcastic and of his
voice, when 1t cuts the flesh of self-conceit
off your very bones. And the contrast
well II was too much for me.
But something came quick to sober me.
1t was Gray. She stormed in. followed by
Lord Harold and Topham, and half the
company.
The diamond tho rosa dIano,ap, sh.
shrieked. TITS gone! And the carpenters
say that new girl Olden came flying from
the direction of my dressing room. I'll hold
you responsible
"Hush-shl' Obermuller lifted his hands
and nodded over toward me.
''Oldenl" she squealed. Grab her, Top
ham I'll bet she stole that diamond and
she can't have got rid of it yet
Topham jumped toward me- but ODER.
muller stopped him.
You'd win only half your bet my lady.
Obermuller said softly. "She did get hold
OF the Gray rose. worth $50 OO0 In spite OF
all your precautions"
The world seemed to fall away from me-
] looked up at him, | couldn't beIieve he, n
go back on me.
And she brought it straight to me. a.
had asked her to, and promised to raise
her salary II she'd win out For l knew
that unless | proved to you II could be
stolen. you'd never agree to hire a detective
to watch those things which will get us al
into trouble some day. Here! Scoot out o
th3s. II > Httiiy tiitie YOUR NUMBER.
lie passed the diamond over to her anc
they all left the office
So did /; but he held out his hand as
passed. ut goes-that about q raise fol
you. Olden. Now earnit.
Isn't he white. Mag-white clean through
that big fellow Obermuller?
vi.
1 got into the train. Mag. the happies
girl In all the country. I'd big basket OF
things for Tom was got up In my Sun
day best. for I wanted to make a hit witt
some fellow with a key up there, who'c
make things soft and easy for my Tommy
i had so much to tell him. 1 knew jus,
how I'd take of every member of the com
pany to amuse him. 1 had memorizec
every joke I'd heard since I'd got behinc
the curtain-not very hard for me; thing.
always had a way Of sticking In my mind
] knew the newest songs In town. and the
choruses of all the old ones. / could show
him the latest tricks with cards-Fd got
those at frst hand from Professor Haugh
won't. You know how great Tom Is OF
tricks. I could explain the disappearing