The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-07-31

It's a gay. happy. easy world, Mag
gle darlin'. I vow I can't find a dark
corner in it-not to-day.
None but the SWEETEST place in town
was good enough. Obermuller had said,
for US to celebrate in. The walters
looked Queerly at US when we came in
me in my dusty shoes ana musged
hair and cid rig, and Mr.. q. in his
working togs. But DO you suppose we
cared?
He was smoking aud was pretend
ing TO eat fruit 'ynen al last 1 get
fairly launched on ny story.
He listened to it all with never a
word Of interruption. Sometimes 1
thought he was so interested that he
couldn't bear to miss "a word I SAID.
And then again I fancied he wasn't
listening at all TO me; only watching
me and listening to something inside
of himself.
Can you see him, Mag, sitting oppo-
site me there at the pretty little table,
off in a private room by ourselves?
He looked so big and strong and mas
terful, with his eyes half closed, watch
ing me, that Rugged myself with de-
had done something for him he could
mt DO for himself.
1t made me so proud, so tipsiIy vain.
that as I leaned forward eagerly talk
ing, ] felt that same intoxicating hap
piness l get on the stage when tho
audience is all with me, and the two
Of us-myself and the many handed,
gocd-natured other fellow over on the
OF, cid r,F .,
ing off on a jsunt of fun and fancy, like
two good playmates.
he was silent a minute when I got
through. Then he laid his cigar aside
and stretched out his hand to me.
And the reason, Nance-the reason
for it an?"
him speak like that.
The reason?' 20 1 repeated.
Yes. the reason" He had caught
my hand.
'Why-to down that tiger Trust
and beat Tausig."
He laughed.
And that was all? Nonsense, Nance
Olden. there was another reason. There
are other tiger trusts. Are you going
to set up as a lady-errant and right all
=
other. a bigger reason, Nance. I'm go
ing to tell it to you-what,"
I pulled my hand from his; but not
before that fat waiter who'd come in
without our noticing had got something
TO grin about.
Beg pardon. sir" he said. This
message must be for you, sir. It's
marked immediate, and no one else
He smiled the oldest smile as he read
il and he threw back his head and
laughed a full, hearty below when he
got TO the end.
Read il, Nance he said, passing IL
over to me. "They sent it on from the
Office"
I read it.
Mr. Fred w. Obermuller, Manager
Vaudeville Theater, New York City.
n Y:
Dear Obermuller-I have just learned
from your little protege, Nance Olden.
OF a comedy you've written. From
what Miss Olden tells me of the plot
and situations of And the Greatest oE
These'-your titles great judge the
thing to be something altogether QUE
of the common; and my secretary and
reader, Mr.. Mason, agrees with me that,
properly interpreted and perhaps
touched UP here and there, the comedy
ought 10 make a hit
Would Miss Olden take the leading
role, I wonder
Cant you drop in this evening and
talk the matter over? There's an open
ing for a fellow like you with US that's
just developed within the past few
= have succeeded in convincing Braun
and Lowenthal that their enmity is a
foolish personal matter which bust
ness men shouldn't let stand in the
way Of business. After all, just what
is there between you and them? a
mere trife; a misunderstanding that
half an hours talk over a bottle OF
wine with a good cigar would drive
away.
If you're the man ! take you for
you'll drop in this evening at the Van
Twiller and bury the Ratchet They're
good fellows, those two, and smart
men. even if they are stubborn as sin.
Counting on seeing you tonight, my
dear fellow, / am most cordially.
Il NJ. TAUSIG."
I dropped the letter and looked over
at -Obermuller.
Miss Olden," he said severely, COM
ing over TO my side OF the table, have
you the heart to harm a generous soul
like that?"
"He-he's very prompt, isn't he, and
most"
And then we laughed together
You notice the letter was marked
personal?'' Obermuller said. He was
still standing beside me.
"No-was it?" 1 got up, too, and be-
gan to pull on my gloves; but my
fingers shook so I couldn't do a thing
with them.
"Oh. yes, It was. That's why 1
showed IT to you. Nance-Nance,
don't you see that there's only one
way out Of this. There's only one
woman IN the world that would do
this for me and that I could take it
from"