The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-11-09

torted "or else you don't know the breed"
MacGregor's mouth hardened suddenly.
Mrs. Harvey" he said in his quiet, unconcerned
English voice Il have often wished from my heart
that 1 the brother the personal friend of
these young ladies, for the purpose"
"We?" said Mrs. Harvey.
For the purpose, Mrs. Harvey" said MacGregor
adopting the fragrant American methods of warfare
at last, "of giving you the worst calling down you
ever got in your whole life. 1t SO happens, my
regret that do know any woman in this
company we'll enough to take up cudgel in her de-
fence without being mpertnent; but I'd earnestly
wise to put up strong curb your tongue, for
of these days you might up against some
fellow who, lucky than myself has the right to
tell you just what he thinks of you
Mrs. Harvey departed, flashing promises of future
revenge from her cold, little gray eyes.
Just then Josephine Drake stole from the first
entrance. Her eyes bright with approval
she turned them MacGregor.
That nice of you." she said, softly. lawfully
NICE"
Gus looked at her with resentment that stormed
to be expressed. This tall clear featured girl who
wore tailor-but gowns when she came into the
theatre and up for the street-what bust
ness had she creep in here into the stage world
and tilt against the rightful denzens thereof? Gus
herself was dark and short and plump, and had made
UP for many years that she would have felt cold
if she had gone out on Broadway without her eye
lashes.
Dorrence MacGregor turned quickly and laughed a
little awkwardly.
Miss Drake." he exclaimed. Il did not see you
before!"
Il in there" Josephine said, indicating the
entrance But 1 could not help hearing your noble
defence of-us!"
Mrs Harvey gets frightfully my nerves."
laughed MacGregor. q suppose really bit abb
surd; but you know she really does slang the girls
abominably." he added, half apologeticaly.
They had both forgotten Gus James. She watched
them for few blazing moments, then slipped quietly
away. In her heart only room now for
fury of hate and love. How dared this other woman.
who did not care-she knew by all the tokens of
womanhood that she did not care!-how dared she
come between her and the dear wonderful dream
Of her.sordd little life? 1t not only MacGregors
tone of Difference and equality toward the other wom
An that she resented not only the fact that on her
appearance he had forgotten the existence of her.
Gussie-not only. even, that he had shown such eS-
aggerated and shocked amazement to think of her
as having been troubled by the insolence OF Mrs.
Harvey. No, it was deeper and more cruel hurt
than all these-btter as they might be. The sting
was this: Josephine had dared to speak to him as she
had never dared; she TALL well-dressed outsider,
had faced him with the utter frankness of indifer-
ence moment that meant life, death and the
hereafter to Gus obviously signifed nothing to
Josephine but casual interchange of amenities with
one of her kind.
From that moment Gus James lived, breathed and
had her being in company with but one thought: the
humiliation and punishment of Josephine Drake.
In the company a GREATNESS, eager youth who
CHANGED to be very much in love with Gus He was
short pink and plump. but he had ardent heart,
and Gus was very far from dscouraging devotion in
any quarter so every evening he used to wait at the
foot of her hand excitedy as she
nassed ND to the dressing-room the performance
That night Gus smiled upon him more kindly than
usual and when the crowd of painted and powdered
puppets thronged the stage and on to the
ascending steps she permitted herself to linger a
moment even to be pulled gently back into shadow
while the assistant stage manager was crying
"Strike and the air full of the thunder OF NOV
ing scenery
When she entered the dressing-room two or three
minutes later she looked carefully conscious, and
varied it by a well-prepared start and blush when
one of the girls asked her where she had been.
II just stopped moment-to speak to Mr.. Mac
Gregor." she said with shade of very becoming
embarrassment He had something TO say to mel"
is he going away from here?" chanted Lii.
Josephine said nothing, but in her heart she recog
nized the lie, and pitied it from her deeper and
stronger nature.
AS Gus took off her wig, and picked up big piece
of cheesecoth with which to rub of ner makeup she
contrved turn her back squarey upon the rest of
the room. AS she did So there sudden shout
will you look at her shoulder. please? See Gus
sizes neck girls, Gussie, where have you been? Has
he got it so badly that he has to kiss you in the