Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-09-22
But he'll never get the chance"
"Oh. I.don't know"

they get big-headed enough to Sight us"
But 0bermuller's not like the others.
He's not so easy. And he is 50 clever;
why the plot of that comedy is the bull.
liest thing"
You've read it-you remember IT.:
"Oh. | know il by'heart-my part Of
II You see. he wouldn't keep away from
me while he was thinking oft He kept
consulting me about everything in. it.
In way. we worked over II together"
The little man looked at me. slowly
closing one eye. 1t is a. habit Of his
when he's going to do something par
ticularly nasty.
Then, in a way, as you say, II is part
yours"
Hardly! Imagine Nance olden writ
ing a lineof play"
Still you-collabOrated; that's the
word. say, my dear, if could
read that comedy, and II was-half what
you say it is, might 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 was the best stage-manager we ever
had before he got the notion Of manag-
ing for himself-and running 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 r"
"Fine-fne! A reading from that fool
.0bermuller would be enough to open
the eyes Of clever woman. I'd like TO
read that comedy-yes?"
But 0bermuller would never"
But 0lden 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 newspaper man. Smart fellow,
that when he's sober. He could piece
out the holes-yes?'
looked al him The little beast sat
there. slowly closing one eye and open
ing il 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. sneerihg eyes that had no smile
in them.
IL wouldn't like TO make an enemy
of a man like 0bermuller. Mr.. Tausig. "
Bah! Amt told you he's on the
togobban?"
But you never can tell with a man
like that. Suppose he got into that CON-
bine with Heffelfnger and Dixon and
Weinstock?"
"Whatre you talking about"
We'll, it's what I've heard"
But Heffelfnger and Dixon and
Weinstock are all IN with US; who told
you that fairy stOry?"
"0bermuller himself"
The little fellow laughed. His is q
creaky, almost silent little laugh; if a
spider could laugh he'd laugh that way.
They're fooling him bunch or two.
Never You mind 0bermuller. He's a
dead one"
"0h, he said that you thought they
we're in with you, but that nothing but
written agreement would hold men
like that And that you hadn't got"
Smart fellow. that 0bermuller. He'd
have been a good man TO have in the
business if it hadn't been for those in
dependent ideas he's got. He's right;
it takes"
so there is an agreement" ! shout
ed, in spite Of myself. as | leaned for
ward.
He sat back in his chair, or. rather, be
let il swallow him again.
"Whatbusiness 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 il on. well
pay you $500 down in addition to your
salary II it's rot, you'll have your
salary weekly all the time you're al 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 III 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 to keep this thing dark till
it's done 0bermuller mustn't get any
idea what we're upto. He don't
love you-no-for shaking him?'
Hes furious; wouldn't even say
good-by. I'm done for. with him. any
way, guess. But what could do?" d,
Nothing. my dear. nothing. You're
smart little girl" he chuckled.
'Ta-ta!"
CHAPTER XIII
! UST what I'd been hoping for
III don't know, but knew that