Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-08

may hStR bhSbl 70 Q SD1'NANNs she swept down the aisle and went in at the stage-door, behind the pros cenium boxes.
 
 I believe I've taken up this letter a dozen times.
 There's the most awful coming and going in this house. The door-bell does nothing but ring, and while mamma has refused to see anybody, and the reporters can't gel, beyond Ludwig, there are condolers like Mrs. Sprague Winter. and the flowers tits worse than funeraD that we can't turn away. and I'm sitting up here in my room in disgrace that is thou sand times worse than death.
 I wish I could hear from you. It was last evening that telegraphed. 1 don't suppose there is anything you could telegraph except that you love me, and I don't suppose it would oc- cur to you to do that.
 l Crawford of the fencers has just ] written to me. He is such trump. l He says it's a burning shame it has 1 made such a stir in the papers, but the | club is proud of me. ... : 1 But I have not told you about the 1 duel. At little before the time ap- l pointed, met Herbert just hurrying to the theater. He led the way into the stage entrance--how dreary it is!- and the doorkeeper told us that Miss Wilmot and MT. Ditmore had not come. but if she was expecting us we might go in and wait with the others.
 What others?" asked Herbert, sus- piciously.
 "The others Miss Wilmot was ex- pecting," the doorkeeper said.
 I don't like the look of this" said Herbert. T guess you had better wait until go in and see what sort of reception Miss Wilmot is giving"
 But I can't wait out here" l said. I'm sure I'm invited"
 So we both went in.
 Stan. they were all reporters.
 Then Miss wilmot and Mir. Ditmore came. He was carrying the swords and a suit case, and Herbert mad the case in which had brought my things
 from the fencers. We all bowed.
 felt horribly foolish. Then Miss Will
 mot went to her dressing-room, and
 had one assigned to me. began to
 feel guilty. I wasn't afraid of Amy
 WiImot. but of what my family would
 say if they ever found out.
 It didn't take me any time to dress,
 and yet Miss Wilmot was ready before
 me. Herbert and Mir. Ditmore were
 measuring the distance and testing the
 swords: and at last Mir. Ditmore hand
 ed them to me to choose from. took
 one at random. and he offered the
 other 10 Miss Wilmot. It seemed that
 he was to conduct the duel, of which
 was very glad, for he knows all about
 the etiauette of such things, and I'm pretty certain that Herbert doesn't. Ready" said Mir. Ditmore, holding
 the points of our swords. He looked [ from one to the other of us. Ready, ? we said. Then he released our sword
 tips and stepped back.
 From that moment every thought o . nervousness left me. I felt perfecti! a ali home. The back of the stage Wal r filling with people. and l realized tha {. if must be time for rehearsal. g came to me vaguely that this crowt 1 was just what she had been waiting 1 for. I did not see them, and yet i n was A sudden farcy of a resemblance | 10 you among tEem that caught my = attention for the fraction of mo ment.
 She took the opportunity to make r "coup fourre." which parried just il l time by dropping my hand and chas { ing her point. Then placed my poin = at her heart. l did it so easily ant { eoolly that I drew it back little, s' ]. that she would not run on 1t. Bu 0 there it was, for an instant, for all t s see. I had not SD much as scratched
 her velvet jacket, and she must hay' l. known that wouldn't dream of hurt '. ing her: but however that was. sh e gave one cry, that will ring in my ear | to my dying day, and dropped to tn " floor. her sword ringing as II fell be . side her.
 If if was meant to call attention t' n herself from my own victory, it va d done with a quickness Of wit tha n shows that she will be great actress r. If fl was real fear, 1t played her e snlendid turn. ran to pick her uI g and a half dozen others with me, an ,, vben we lifted her she was as whit d as my handkerchief; but she smile
 at me and put out her hand. and said d with a perfect show of self-possession e q see you are bound to have you d tttle joke"
 h That's all. Stan. Herbert and l go s ont. and the rehearsal took place A
 if nothing had happened. except Una I Amy wiimot Is now a heroine. and
 .npears that we are both in danger ,t heinz imprisoned. Do you see th l. blurred places all over this letter? IT isn't the bIo,ter. Stan. it's tears n Now I've told you the whole truti ' and if you disspprove of my part in It vou are free to consider our engas'
 ment at an end
 V ~coue fin. What ls it? l won't SC g anybody. I von'ti Oh. oh-sian- |, s,su-dear-is il really you2" m Royalty En Tour.
 The prince of wslss has sent strict oi a =. ,.s- -. .asr- .Nr g.~aFtff xl