Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-16

q
back for Broadway. Take my blessing, II
you want 1t, and take Jerry along for good
measure, If you like. It's all you'll ever
get from me, either of you"
To Caleb Conover's unbounded horror
and amaze, Enid, instead of spurning him
haughtily, burst into a crescendo, throaty
gurgle Of contralto weeping and flung her
self bodily upon him, her long-gloved arms
twining about his neck, her pompadoured
head smuggling into his bosom.
"Oh, Father! Father!' came a muffied yet
artistic wall from somewhere in the region
of his upper waistcoat buttons. How can
you? You've broken Gerald's heart. And
now you're breaking mine. Forgive usl''
Miss Lanier!'' Numbered Caleb. strug-
| ness of the embrace, for heavens sake
won't YOU come and-and unwind this per-
| son? She's spelling my shirt front. Lord,
| how do hate to be pawed!'
DO not touch me! Do not dare to-,
menial!' commanded the bride, relinqush-
| Ing her hold, and glaring like wounded
| tlgress at Anice, who had made no move
whatever in response to Caleb's Mortified
plea. The visitor drew back from Caleb as
| though contact with him besmirched her.
| "Well! she gasped, and now the throaty
contralto was merged into cultural snarl.
| rldlculously akin to an angry cats. We'll!
! Of all the cheap tight-wads Lever struck!
| Think you can backtrack me, do you? Well,
| you lose! I'm married to him all right. and
| I'm not giving him up in a hurry. You try
| to butt in, and you'll find yourself in a
| hundred thousand alienation suit! Oh. 1
know my rights, and no up-country Rube' 8
| going to skin me out of EN-. You old bunch
! of grouchiness! And to think they let you
! boss things in this jay town of yours! Why,
| in New York you'd never get nearer Broad
i way than Tenth avenue, and you couldn't
even boss red light precinct. My Gawd!
| I'll have to keep it dark about my coming
| to a hole like this or my friends II think
I've been playing ten-twenty-thirt circuit.
No civilized person ever comes here, and
now l know why. They're afraid they'll be
| mistook for friend of yours, most likely.
You red-headed old geezer, you don't even
know a lady when you see one. Keep your
antern-jawed pie-face mutt of a son. I'm
going back to where there's at least one
perfect gentleman who knows how to be-
have when lady honors him by"
dumb, nerveless confusion during the re-
cent interchange of courtesies, you don't
mean? You mustn't go back to him, You
mustn't! Has he met you again since /
left? Tell mel 1 said I'd kill him if he
ever spoke to you again, and, by God, l
will. He shant-.''
A timid, fasetto screech like that of Il
very young leveret that is inadvertently
trodden beneath a farmers foot in long
grass broke in on the boys rawlings. Mrs.
Caleb Conover collapsed on the floor in a
dead faint.
Anice ran to the unconscious womans
aid Even Gerald, checked midway in his
mad appeal stopped and stared down in
stupid wonder at his mothers huddled fig
ure.
Caleb seized the moment to cross the
room quickly toward the furious chorus
girl. He caught her by the shoulder, and
in his pale eyes blaZed a flare that few men
and no woman had ever seen there. The
color, behind the artistic paint on the Wis
/ itors face. went white at the look. She,
who was accustomed to brave the RACES
of drunken FOUNDERS, shrank speeches.,
covering before those light eyes. One arm
she raised awkwardly as if to avert a blow.
Yet Caleb's touch on her shoulder was
gentle. and when he smoke his voice
strangely dead and Unconditional So low
exact words reached the actress.
goes. There is a train to New York in
thirty minutes. If YOU are in Granite one
minute after it leaves. my police shall ar
rest you. MY witnesses shall make the
charge something that even you will hardly
care to stand for. My judge shall send you
! to prison for year. And every paper in
New York shall print the whole story as l
choose to tell it. Now go.''
The fear of death and worse than death
was in her eyes. She skunk out, shrunken
in aspect to the form of an old and bent
woman. Not even-most beloved trick of
for parting look The patter of her
scared, running feet sounded irregularly on
| the marble outer hall9 Then the front door
slammed, and she was gone.
The final scene between Conover and his
sons wife had endured less than twenty
seconds. 1t was over, and she had de-
parted before Gerald realized what had
happened. Then, with a cry, he was on
his feet and hurrying to the door. But his
father stood in front of it.
If you're not cured now scid Conover,
you never will be. Go back and ring for
your mothers maid
The boys mouth was open for wrathful
retort. But embers of the blaze that had
transformed Caleb's face as he had dis
missed the chorus girl still fckered there.
And under their Scorching neat Gerald Con-
over skunk back, beaten but still muttering
defiant incoherences under his breath.
Mrs. Cono|er, under Anices gentle minis
tra,.on, was coming to her senses. She
opened her eyes with gasp of fear, then
sat up and looked apprehensively around.
She is gone, dear" whispered Anice,
divining her meaning, and Gerald dldn
mean what he said. He was excited, mat
was all. He's all right again now. Shall 1
help you upstairs?'
But Mrs Conover insisted on being as
sisted to the nearby sofa, from which
refuge she feebly waved away her maid
and vetoed Anice's further offices.
Il am all right" she pleaded under her
breath. Let me stay here. Caleb mates
to have me give way to these heart at
! tacks. III stay till he has gone to his
All right again, old lady?' asked Caleb,
walking across to the sofa. Like me 10
send for the doctor?'
No. Yes, I'm quite well again now,
stammered his wife Thank you for ask
ing
1t was not wholly Indifference which had
kept Conover from the invalids side. SO
great had been the unwonted fury that
mastered him, he had dared not speak to
either of the women until he was able to
some extent to curb it. His usually iron
nerves were still a-quiver, and his voice
was unlike its customary self
Until further notice" he announced
dryly, looking from one to the other, these
pleasant home hours are suspended. BY
request They're too exciting for a quiet
man like me. l hope you'll all try to
smother any disappointment you feel. And
now" turning to the butler, who had come
In answer to his ring, TN see if l can't get
the taste of this farewell performance of
the pleasant hour series out of my mouth
before l start my evenings work. Gaines,
order Dunderberg brought around in ten
minutes
Where are you going?' asked Mrs Con-
over who had imperfectly caught the order.
ITO get into my riding clothes" answered
her husband from the doorway.
But you spoke about Dunderberg You're
surely not going to ride Dunderberg when
I'm SO shaken up. l shall worry So
why? You amt riding him.