Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-22

Got tired of staying out in the cold eh?" he grinned.
 I'm tired Of vaudeville" answered. Cant you give me a chance in a con- edy?"
 "Hm! Ambitious. aint you?"
 ''Obermuller has play all ready for me-written for me. He'd star me fast enough if he had the chance"
 But he'll never get the chance"
 "Oh, don't know"
 But I do. Hes on the toboggan; that's where they all get, my dear, when they get big-headed enough to fight us. <"
 But Obermuller's not like the others. He's not so easy. And he is so clever; why, the plot of that comedy is the bull Hest thing"
 You've read it-you remember it?"
 ''Oh, know it by heart-my part of 1t. You see, he wouldn't keep away from me while he was thinking of it. He kept consulting me about everything in it. In a way we worked over it together"
 The little man looked at me, slowly closing one eye. It is habit of his when he's going to do something par ticularly nasty.
 Then, in a way, as you say, it is part yours"
 Hardly! Imagine Nance Olden writ ing a line of a play."
 Still you-collaborated; that's the word. say, my dear if could read that comedy, and it was-half what you say it is, I might-I don't promise, mind-but might let you have the part that was written for you and put the thing on Has he drilled you any, eh? He vas the best stage manager we ever had before he got the notion of manag- ing for himself-and ruining himself
 Well. he's all that yet Of course. he has told me, and we agreed how the thing should be done. As he'd write, you know, he'd read the thing over to me, and T."
 "Fine-fne! A reading from that fool Obermuller would be enough to open the eyes of a clever woman. I'd like to read that comedy-yes?"
 But Obermuller would never"
 But Olden might"
 What"
 Dictate the plot to my secretary. Mason, in there," he nodded his head back toward the inner room. "She could give him the plot and as much of her own part in full as she could remember. You know Mason. Used to be a newspaper man. Smart fellow, that, when he's sober. He could piece out the holes-yes?"
 looked at him. The little beast sat there, slowly closing one eye and open ing it again. He looked like an un- healthy little frog. with his bald head, his thin-lipped mouth that laughed, while the wrinkles rayed away from his cold. sneering eyes that had no smile in them.
 IT wouldn't like to make an enemy of a man like Obermuller, MT. Tausig."
 Bah! Ain't I told you he's on the togobban?"
 But you never can tell with man like that. Suppose he got into that con- bine with Heffelfnger and Dixon and Weinstock?"
 "What're you talking about?"
 Well, it's what I've heard"
 But Heffelfinger and Dixon and Weinstock are all in with us; who told you that fairy story?"
 "Obermuller himself"
 The little fellow laughed. His is a creaky. almost silent little laugh; if spider could laugh he'd laugh that way. They're fooling him bunch or two. Never you mind Obermuller Hes dead one"
 "Oh. he said that you thought they were in with you but that nothing but written agreement would hold men like that And that you hadn't got"
 Smart fellow. that Obermuller. He'd have been a good man to have in the business if il hadn't been for those in- dependent ideas he's got. He's right; it takes"
 So there is an agreement" I shout ed. in spite of myself, as I leaned for ward
 He sat back in his chair, or. rather. he let 1t swallow him again.
 What business is that of yours? Stick to the business on hand Get to work on that play with Mason inside If it's good. and We decide 10 put it on. we'll pay you s5J0 down in addition to your salary. If it's rot you'll have your salary weekly all the time you're at il. just the same as if you were working. till [ can place you. In the meantime. keep your ears and eyes open and watch things. and your mouth shut. I'll speak to Mason and he'll be ready for you to- morrow morning Come round in the morning: there's nobody about then. and we want ID keep this thing dark till it's done Ohermuller mustn't get any idea what Were upto. He dOn't love you-rO-fOr shaking him?"
 Hes furious; wouldn't even say go06-by. Tn done for with him. any vzy. z guess. Bu- what could I do2"
 Nothing. my dear: nothing You're q smart little girl he cElckled. -Ta-ta,"
 CHAPTER XII
 CST what I'd been hoping for
 don't know, but knew that