Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01

Eta knew that discovery might be disas-
trous to her beyond the ordinary meaning of
the term, but her c1everness told her that
the risk of it was very small. 1t was then
after IL o'clock. She remembered that
they turned the people out of the Carlton
Hotel at l. 30.
Tell Mr.. lizard that I will come she
said to the messenger. and then to the
girls: on won't forget tomorrow. Kun
around early and Wen read the newspapers
together. And, dear girls. well spend Sun
day at Henley, as 1 promised you"
They kissed her affectionately, promising
not to forget There not much
pleasure In their lives that they should pass
ii by when a good fairy approached them.
Sharing rooms together, they had as yet
discovered upon some fiftyodd shillings a
week little of the glamour and none of the
rewards of theatrical life. For them the
theater was the house of darkening hope,
wherein success passed by them every hour
crying Look at mellow beautiful [ am;
but not for you" They had believed that
the pilgrims way would be strewn with
goid-they discovered it to be paved with
promises
''Of course we shall come" said Lucy in
her matter-of-fact way; whatever should
we be thinking of if we didn't.
But Dulcie said:
I'm going to wear my pink blouse on
Sunday and the hat you gave me-didn't l
tell you that Harry Lauder would be at
Henley? Well. then, he will = and,
Eta, could you. would you, mind If r.
Eta laughingly told her that she could
not, would not, positively mind at all and
then, remembering how late it was. she
hurried from the theater and found herself
just as the clocks were striking 1915. in
the hall of the Carlton standing before Mr..
Charles lizard and listening, but scarcely
hearing, the shrewd compliments which that
astute gentleman deigned to shower upon
her.
You've struck it thick. my dear" he was
saying. Get twelve months experience in
my company and you'll make a great act
ress. l say what 1 mean All you want is
just what my theater will teach you-the
little tricks of our trade which go right
there though the public doesn't know much
of them Come and have supper now. and
Wen talk business in the morning.
shouldn't wonder If the critics spread them
selves over this. Don't pay too much at
ton 70 them-they dare not quarrel with
me"
Mrs, Charles lizard, frank forid woman,
was much less discreet and much more
honest.
Perfectly adorable. my child" she said;
at joy all the time to me. You
couldn't have played better If you'd have
been born in a dukes house. Wherever you
got your manners from, don't know
Now, really, Charles, don't say 1t WASH I:
don't contradict me- Charles. You know that
Miss Romney is going to make a fortune
for you: and you're rich enough as it is
Why, child. the mans worth five million
dollars If he's worth n penny. And It isn't
five years since l was making my own
clothes"
The supper room unfortunately put an
end to these interesting revelations. Eta
followed the loquacious Mrs lizard as
closely she could. being sure that such
gorgeous apparit:on flor the lady was
dressed from head to foot in scarlet would
divert attention from herself, and. in truth.
it did so. few turned their heads to say.
That's lizard and there's the only woman
of his company who fixes her own salary"
but the supper was already in full swing
and the people for the most part silent upon
their own entertainment or that of their
remarked the stately girl in lizards COM
pany the majority first said, What a
charming gowni" The men rarely noticed
her. They had taken their second glasses
OF champagne by this time and were gent
ally flirting with the women at their own
tables. If they said anything, 1t was just.
What a pretty girl
And what were Ettas thoughts as she
sat for the first time amid the garish COM
pany, typical of one of IOndon's sets. and
In some sense of society? Possibly she
would have had some difficulty in express
ing them The music excited her, the
ceaseless chatter hurt ears long accustomed
to silence In truth. size had tried to de-
many times since her father had shut his
seemed so very different from her dreams;
so very artificial. shallow so far from
splendid. And beneath her disappointment
lay the fear that some accident might dis
close her identity How. she asked if she
stood up there and told them all My name
is not Eta but Evelyn. Tonight | am an
actress at the Carlton Theater, but you will