Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-10-21


sitting between Noel Verney and Mrs
Chiltren Hundreds, almost sprang up
right in his seat
'By jover' he said. "Its Signal"
The house did not recognize her all |
at once and the boxes apparently not |
at all. But even the awful presence
of the duchess and the appalling
consequences which doomed in the |
near future could not restrain the |
men They laughed at every wicked
point in the song and when he was
off the stage they yelled to have him
back again. 1t sounded as if the
whole hall were one confused, imper-
| ious demand, and though they did not
call her by name, it was obvious that
Sigma was recognized I wondered
| what she would do, and almost held
my breath when the small ragged
figure returned for a brief moment,
but only just in sight at the wings.
There was a growing terror in Sigma
eyes-an expression most alien to
them. Either the passing of the eX-
element, or the realization of her
own daring, or else that clamoring
audience, was terrifying her. She
bowed hastily and battered off, in
spite of the cries to her to sing
tagain. 1 feared the demand was too
| strong, and that they would force her
to come back, and 1 turned to look
round for Verney. But he had dis
| appeared, and he was not in the
duchess box, though 1 looked there
with fear and trembling. Her grace
was Still sitting, calm and smiling,
at the front of the box; there was
, something ominous in her tacit refu-
sal to recognize what everyone knew.
: Lady James face was like mask; 1
!, thought Lady bennington was cry
: ing, but / could not see her plainly.
IL The next turn fell flat, though there
: was a gallant effort to applaud and
: carry it through. But SO many of
! the men had vanished that it looked
: as if wind had swept the stalls
! bare. 1t was fatally easy to get be-
4 hindr They were waiting for sigma.
. 1 sat out two turns; then followed
= | Verney. He had, as L suspected, left
!, his place before Sigma had made her
;, bow, and was waiting for her be-
= hind. BY the time 1 got round, the
: wings seemed to be full of men, chat
I tering in excited voices, andN at a
= little distance stood Verney, cool and
= lanquid, talking to Batsburg. 1 heard
: the manager say, Sulkily, eat the
side-door-yes, there is a way round y
. and 1 went then and there in the di-
rection indicated because I wanted
to see the end of the comedy. There
was a brogham waiting there; /
stood unnoticed on the pavement IN
till they came out-indeed' it was I
who opened the carriag e-door. Sigma
slipped away from her dressing-roOm
while the men were still awaiting her
in the wings. But she was crying
bitterly, and it so much surprised
me that felt the whole scene little
unreal. Verney put her into the
carriage, hesitated, and stood with
one foot on the step.
''Shall 1 come, too, Sigma ?' he said.
Her voice came out of the dark
ness, muff1ed.
ST am frightened. NOeli'
'At last?" he said, quietly. swell,
/ 1 am not.''
81 thought it would be fun to scan
EDO you mean that I was the cause
| this timer
GLOW dare you have two thousand
a year?, said Sigma irrevantly. Mel
Their of them noticed me.
$50 you thought you would fling
your independence of my opinion al
me once for all. and see if 1 could be
scared away, eh?'
"Something like that"
"Well, you cannot. Nothing could
am going to take the onus of the
affair on myself from this time forth
however, and tackle the family"
Twill you stand by me, Noel?' Sig
ma must really have had a fright to
say that!
''There shall be no occasion. They
shall not dare to refer to it. Union
is strength-it is you and 1 together
now"
He jumped into-the carriage, and
closed the door and told the coach
man "Home,'' because by that time
they were past thinking of anything
but themselves. Lady Jane confessed
afterwards that the engagement wa.
the greatest relief she had evel
known. She had feared that it would
q never come off, because it appear.
n that, owing to her laundering ant
n excellent intentions, she had caused
i a breach between them which Signs
o. would not give Verney a chance t.
e heal Batsburg was an angela ia
$ angel-in the disguise of frock Goa
: and his Benefit was the medicine tina
10 killed or cured.
Sc The amusing part of it is that tn,
g Duchess has ignored the whole affair
e and as she has declined to acknowl
"a edge what everyone knows-that Sig
n ma was the sensation of the grea
k War-Fund Benefit-she will have tt
% go to the wedding, on which occasion
e Sigma will make her bow and retire
e from her war with right and proper
t Dehav1or-for the present.