Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-02

Dar-Why, you have played your ace of trumps.
The.-Five minutes past eight.
Len-Then it is late-at least five minutes
Dar-Perhaps he has thought better of it.
Len-Very likely.
Dar.-Maybe the pretty cousin has persuaded
him to stay and eat his plum pudding with her
Len.-He has no cousin.
Dar.-He has though He may have kept it
dark. But he has.
LEM say he has not.
Dar-I saw her last month when I went down
for the shooting. She had ON gray cloak down
to her heels, and a long poke bonnet like tunnel
but looked in the tunnel and saw pretty face
at the end of it.
Len.-She was sister of mercy no doubt
Dar.-Only lay sister, then. She has loads of
money. They hoped one time that Maurice would
marry her. That is why they kept writing to him
last summer to come home.
Len-I do a0ish he would come. Theresa,
to the window and if you can hear the car
riage.
The-You must remember that it is Christ
mas eve, and the trains are often two hours late.
Dar-Everybody drunk, and collisions mmi-
nently probable Q.enore throws down her cards
and runs to the window. Oar. looks at her cards)
Dar-Why you had double bezique in your
hand. Throws down cards; follows herr
Len.-Do you think that there has been any
accident?-that anything has happened to him?
Oar. takes both her hands and presses them to
his breast. Bell rings)
Dar-I certain nothing has happened to
him. for there is the bell. (Kisses her hands.)
Len-(Jerking her hands away How about
the pretty cousin with the poke bonnet? (Runs
delighted into the ha)
The Crosses to the window
Dar.-Wait bit, Lenore; he may have brought
her with him. CTurns back to Thereseo Why
could she not have stayed here? 1t would not have
robbed her of two seconds of his precious society.
l suppose they falling into each others arms
now, chaperoned by the butler. Bah, | hate
lovers. Don't you, Miss Herrick?
The-Never having had one l cannot say.
Dar.-Is it possible? That in all your life you
have never had a lover that you cared about with
all your soul for no good reason that you could
give to anybody, yourself either?
The.-Never. Illuminating the confession
may be, have never had a lover that l cared
about did not about; and | do not think
many women of twenty-eight can say much
Sylvia-(Waking up Has he come? I do wish
people would not come so suddenly, they make
ones heart beat so. Goes to mirror over mante0
Theresa does my frizzette show? Am I perfect
fright? What will he think of me?
The-Your frizzette does show a great deal, but
it makes no difference. He will not see it. He
never sees any one when Lenore is by. Ten to
he will forget to say chow do you do"
Dar.-What not to the mistress of the house?
Syl-I hope he will not expect me to be affec-
Tomato. I suppose I am peculiar but am always
very reserved with strangers If he is hurt by my
GOODNESS, please explain to him that it is my way.
The-It will not be necessary.
(Iau. and Len. enter c. d. radiant.)
Len.-This is Sylvia.
Syl-(Extending hand) I happy to
make your acquaintance. (Maurice then greets
Therese)
The-You brought a deluge with you did you
not?
Mau-Yes the train was trife behind time.
Lena trife? 1t was ten minutes.
Mau.-Yes, 1t was delayed by the storm All,
someone has been playing bezique.
Len-(Hastily) Yes,-did-