Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-20
8he Hrgus Daily Short Story
: At Rehearsal. BY Colin S. Collins.
copyrighted, 1908, NJ NJ Cunningham

At times the pain was almost too
great to bear, but she kept a brave
face and accepted silently Webster's
structures upon her lack of grace
They were going through the num-
Der for the third time when q stento-
rian Stop brought the dancers to
halt, and Webster came striding to-
ward Mildred
You, miss" he cried savagely.
You always start with your left foot.
You kick with your right first"
81 was taught always to start with
the left" the girl stammered. II try
to remember, but sometimes habit is
too strong"
1.-The trouble is that you've no brains
to remember WITH" was the retort.
"Now try it again-from the begin
ming"
The thin thread of sound from the
lone violin began again, and Mildred
bent her aching brain TO the recolle1-
ton of the bit of business. Through
very anxiety to do it right the girl
kicked first with her left foot, and
again Webster roared out the stop"
which was always the prelude to trou-
| BILE The other girls looked curiously
at Mildred as Webster started toward
| her
81 said to kick first with the right"
stormed the stage manager. You
don't know your right from your left.
do you? This is the right"
With the words he brought his heavy
| IL, r,,J 4;,N %
Mildred's shoe. With a little cry the
| girl fell forward and was saved from
drop to the stage by the quick action
of the girl beside her. who caught the
| falling figure in her arms and let her
gently sink to the stage. She knew
| the story of those tight shoes. Mildred
had borrowed them from friend In
order that she might make a good ap
pearance when she joined the show.
She knew the agony the girl must have
! suffered when the heavy boot came
crashing down upon the numbed foot.
For moment Webster stood looking
at the PROSTATE figure. Then he went
back to his position just in front of
the footlights. There were angry MUIR
murs from the girls, and at heart Web
ster was Il coward. If he gave them
a chance to grow more angry they
might attack him in a body, as had
happened a couple of years before.
stop your fooling and get to work.
he commanded sternly. "All right,
Boris
But Boris held the violin in his lap
as he watched the girls raise Mildred.
He saw the brave effort she made to
hold her place in line, and the white
face told how close she was to faint
ing
That girl can't work! You've Grip
pied herr he called angrily.
| Webster turned.
1.-THE girl is taking" he said rough.
lily. You, miss, come back to line"
81 can't walk" sobbed Mildred.
Webster strobe over to where she
was sitting and grasped her arm.
"You can and willr' he declared. I'll
you don't, you leave the company al
oncei"
He jerked her to her feet. But witt
a little cry the girl slipped to the flool
again, and some of the others rushed
to her aid Webster turned to ordei
them back. But he faced Boris, VIII,
had leaped to the stage, and one glance
at the leaders face told of trouble.
\ You're not going to rehearse an,
you're not going to fire that girl" sal,
Boris aagrily. land you're going to &c
one first class licking right now. Pu
up your hands"
1t was not long fight. but it was
highly artistic punishment Boris ha
a long score of his own to settle, an
while he was about it he paid tn
idebts of the entire company
He left Webster covering in corne
and approached the little group abou
the girl. Raising her in his arms. h
bore her.,to her dressing room. wher