The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-07-07
he goal OF all actors did not

reaching the goal OF all actors did not
cheer the sirl. and when the perform
/ ance was over she hurried back to the
hotel, only to creep into bed and cry
herself TO sleep.
On the third and last day of the en-
gagement Tom appeared suddenly in
town, and. though she could not see
him in the badly lighted auditorium
that night, Maggie felt that he was
there. and she acted with touch Of
tenderness that lent new beauty to n
naturally sympathetic role.
John Benjamin, one of the impor-
tant eastern theatrical men, had stop
/ ped over to wait for train and had
1 drifted into the opera house, where the
manager overwhelmed him with atten-
tions. AS he watched the girl work he
nodded his head.
I'D like TO steal your leading wo-
man." Benjamin said to Quinlin. IL
can place her In road company for
year under one Of my good stage direct
ors and then bring her into New York"
Go ahead and steal" invited Quin-
| lin. shes Il nice little woman, and
If you can place her the contract she
made with me won't hold her back.
I'll tell her to write to you"
The big manager nodded his thanks,
looked at his watch and hurried off to
make his train.
Maggie only nodded carelessly. when
Quinlin hurried back with word that
the way to Broadway was open to her
! at last.
She could not think of business when
Tom was out there in the darkened
! auditorium watching her. She needed
to give all of her attention to her per-
formance, and she played the last act
with rich sincerity that won the audi
ence completely.
Not until the curtain had fallen and
the other players crowded around to
congratulate her upon the opportunity
she had earned did she seem to realize
what 1t all meant, and then she ac-
cepted listlessly what the other women
Of her profession would have given
years of their life to attain.
She slipped from the stage door alone
to 60 to the hotel but as she emerged
Tom stepped forward with outstretch-
ed hands.
81 had to come to see you," he said
brokenly. "At first | vowed that |
would stay out Of town while you were
here, but had to come back. and I'm
glad did.
81 thought that you would be tough
and common, Maggie. like the rest. but
you can't be that and play as you did
tonight. That wasn't acting, and when
saw you as you really are, and not as
l thought that you would be, want
ed to get up and shout to you to come
right to me and we'd get married, as
we used to plan when we were chill
dren. VIII you come and marry me,
Maggie? I've got fine farm now, and
you'll never regret it. dear"
81 don't think will regret it,"
agreed Maggie happily. but didn't
think you'd want me. Tom"
"You know what they think about
actresses here" he reminded her. II
guess I thought pretty much the same,
but you-well. when | saw you come
on the stage looking just as you used
to do l knew you were my Maggie
stillr
He clasped her hands. unable to say
more. but Maggie understood. To the
Melrose minds all player folk were
followers of the devil. Perhaps the in
genuous role she had played had won
Tom. He wanted for his wife the wo-
man she had played. And she knew it
would be easy to continue in that role
with Tom as opposite.
She felt that she could continue her
success in that part. and so she let him
kiss her before she pushed him gently
from her with whispered command
to come to the hotel in the morning.
Together they would see Quinin and
secure the release from her contract.
AS she entered the hotel the man.
ager was waiting for her. He had tax
en- from his trunk her contract for the
season. and this he handed to her.
This sets you free. my girl. You
can go to Benjamin and Broadway"
he said smilingly. Pm glad that at
last the Metropolitans have contrib
uted real star to Broadway"
I'm not going to Benjamin." replied
Maggie. III play the season out for
you If you want me to, but | made
real human hit in the part tonight, and
I'm going to keep on playing it for
Tom here in Melrose. Gee. Mr.. Quin-
lin, I'm glad he didn't see me last
night as the adventures"