Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-20
CHAPTER VIII.
The Mystery Deepens.

Nobody in the Park Lane house appeared
to have the slightest suspicion that any
thing had been wrong. The stolid we'll
trained servants accepted the explanation
of the broken door quite a matter of
course. And when Vera came down in the
morning she appeared to have forgotten the
incident entirely. Lord Ravenspur was not
feeling particularly well. and he had decided
to keep to his room for TIE day. The explain
alton was perfectly simple and quite nat
ural. All the same, Walter was thankful
that Vera should ask him questions. 1t
was no easy matter to preserve a cheerful
and uncuncerned face at the breakfast ia
Bile, but he seemed to manage ii all right.
He was just little quiet and subdued. but
then there was nothing remarkable about
that, especially in veiw of Lord Ravenspurs
feelings on the subject of his enGa cement
to Vera
The day dragged on, and Walter waited
with what patience he had till the evening.
He was not displeased to find that Vera
was dining out with some friends in Sloane
Square. for this would give him the oppor-
tunity he needed He changed his dinner
Jacket presently for old tweed coat and
cap. Then he set out on his errand in Naux-
hall Bridge road. alter was not alone on
TINS occasion. for he was accompanied by a
journalist friend whose particular study was
the life and habits of the lower classes. 1t
was this friend who had suggested that ad-
Visibility of the humble garb, so that they
could thus mix freely with the people
around them. Walter congratulated himself
upon his friends prudence when he saw the
class of audience that filled the Imperial
Palace Theater.
The place was large enough. and by no
means lacked artistic finish. At time il
had been an actual theater. run by some
enthusiast with a view to the elevation of
the masses and the production of high-Class
pays at popular prices. The experiment had
ended in a CHASTITY failure. and now
shrewd hard-headed publican in the neigh
borhood was making a fortune by the sim
pie expedient of giving his patrons exactly
what they required.
What part of the house shall try?'
Walter asked
I'VE can't do better than the pit" Vena-
bIes replied. That will cost you sixpence.
or perhaps, If you ike TO be extraVagant.
we can have a box for half a crown. Still,
we don't want to make ourselves conspicu-
Gus. The pit is quite good enough for me.
You can smoke here, you know, and drink
too, for the matter of that. But I should not
advise you to try the latter experiment"
The house was fairly well filed as the
two friends entered and took their seats
The audience for the most part were re-
spectacle enough, but the whole place
reeked with perspirng humanity. and the
air was pungent with the smell of acrid to-
bacco. a constant fusillade of chaff went on
between the stage and the audience Indeed
the artists, for the most part. appeared
to be on the most friendly terms with the
habltues Of the theater. A dreary- looking
comedian was singing one of the inevitable
patter songs. full of the feeble illusions to
drink without which songs of that kind
never appear to be complete. The audience
listened stolidly enough.
Are they never going to tire of this kind
of thing" Walter asked his companion. rs
there nothing humorous in the world out
side the region of too much beer? These
people Sadden me-"
oh, they are all right" Venables said.
cheerfully. They are quite happy in their
own particular way. l have long ceased to
look for anything fresh on the music hall
stage. An original artist and an original,
manner wouldn't be tolerated"
The dreary song came to an end at
called sisters, who. in short skirts and large
picture hats, discoursed the joys of country
life In peculiarly aggressive Cockney &C
cent. The whole thing dull and de-
pressing to the last degree. and Walter be-
gan to regret his loss of time. He noticed
from his program that Waldo was down
rather late, SO there was nothing for II but
to possess his soul in patience till the time
came 1t was little past 10 clock before
the stage was cleared, and the attendants
In their grimy uniforms, began to erect a
series of fine wires running from the roof
to the floor. Then there was an extra -four
ish from the aggressive orchestra and a
slim man. dressed entirely In black came
on to the stage. He was received with great
enthusiasm and the shifting of glasses upon
the tables. Evidently Waldo had established
himself as firm favorite with the patrons
of the Imperial Palace Theater.
All walters apathy had vanished, as he
turned to the stage and scrutinized the aero
bat long and carefully. So for he could
Judge, Waldo was no Englisnman with a