The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-05-20
CHAPTER III.
(COntinued)

quite different had become the
fortunes of certain other person
ages of this story.
Roger Malley, true to his in
stincts and ambition, had found
many a chance, even while only an
| Office boy to Theodore Stone, to dip
into law books. This Theodore had
encouraged while adroitly seeming
to leave the boy entirely to his
own guidance. When he became
quite convinced that Roger was
really destined for the law, he OBJ
tanned for him a place to pursue his
studies under fitting auspices in
Boston.
And Jane, beautiful, high-mind-
ed. loyal Jane, how Jared she in the
art career she had entered upon?
More than one mOneyed person,
itching for fame even II won only
vicariously as a patron of the arts,
offered her all she needed for pro-
lOnged study abroad. The upshot
was that Jane went abroad at the
end of her first years study in Bos-
ton. In two years more glowing re-
| ports were heard of her. She had
| become famous.
Little, remote SalspOrt could
hardly believe it's own eyes and
ears as the fame of Jane Malley
now and again reached It, More
over it was understood that Theo-
jore Stone ever kept in close touch
with her public career, and, indeed,
had helped facilitate 1t In all ways
that he could--it was even whis-
pered that he kept up a correspon-
dence with her.
Within the large theater Sails
ports best was assembled. Proud
est among them sat Theodore
Stone, his blue, thoughtful eyes
luminous with happy light, ami
clear cut handsome features aglow.
Rumor had been busy of late con-
corning his love for the young
singer who had lately returned
from abroad, bearing such honors
as stirred the pride Of Salsport
folk. Many were the glances and
whispers now directed to the
Stones box where Theodore sat
with his friend, Emil Mirandon, the
chief chemist in his fathers fac
tory.
Singers of lesser note had come
and gone, but this was Jane NAL
leys first professional appearance
here 1t was only in Salsport that
she was called Jane Malley. To the
| great world which she had con-
quered by her voice, and whose es-
TEEN her character, charm and vi
| vacity had won, she was known as
the Northern Nightingale, be-
cause of the song that had first
made her famous. Suddenly the
buzz of voices sank. Then from
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. at first
murmur like the rush of an ad-
vancing wave, which surged
| around the house and broke swift
ly in a roar of applause and
beautiful Jane Malley was standing
before the footlights smiling upon
her audience.
And now the Northern Night
ingale was singing. A single note
low. clear, and hauntingly sweet
l-foated out into the hall, and
ceased. Men and women held
their breaths for delight. There
followed another-more tremulous
and distant-plainly a response to
| the first; then again, that nearer
cry-louder and more triumphant!
1t was bird-love in the forst; love
calling to love across woodland
spaces haunted only by the sun
beams. A stream of wild, sweet
notes burst forth, tumbling thick
and fast upon each other, and at
last full on the waiting silence
broke a torrent of melody, rocking
itself to the motion of swaying
boughs, retreating, returning. float
ing family off into woody aisles
pierced only by trembling light.
But suddenly-in the midst OF
strange, mourful note that had
somehow introduced and repeated
itself with all the despair of a
lost love, the singer drew in her
breath with sharp gasp, and
stopped, staring with frightened
eyes at some object In the rear of
the audience.
Instantly swift craning of
necks and alarmed outcries ensued
but Theodore Stone alone had
been in time to see a leering,
drunken face, hideously distorted
by the thicg glass, shape itself for
moment from out the darkness
and silently disappear. Distorted
as the face at the window had
been he recognized it for that OF
his cousin-the byword Of Salsport
and the thorn in the family pride
of the Stones.
Whatever Theodore Stones feel
ings may have been, however, he
did not take the assembly into his
confidence, but sat with his face
turned persistently to the stage.
Some Is minutes or so later 1t was
suddenly discovered that he was
gone.
Montgomery Stone was not seen
in any of his old haunts about
town next day. Neither did he ap-
pear at the factory. His habits had
become so irregular, however, that
it was not until his absence had
continued for nearly week that 1t
provoked any comment. Then by
degrees 1t was discovered that no
one in Salsport could recall having
seen anything OF him since the
night of the concert.
IL J.