The Washington times., 1909-10-02
CHAPTER I.
FOOTLIGHTs AND FINANCE.


her fruitless August quest from the Of
fee Of one theatrical agent to that OF
another. paused at the familiar call.
She knew who Il was even before she
turned around No one but Ralph Da-
Wis ever called her by that name-a
reminder Of the never o-be-forEotten
seasEOre six years before. when she had
been with Frohman, and as understudy
10 noted star had PLAYED for a
week the part i'm Sardou's DIPLOMACY. %
Moreover, the papers had spoken well
OF her performances. Did not the faded
clippings Of that BRIEF triumph stiu &C.
cupy the chief place in her scrapboolx ?
But even more grateful TO her than The
favor Of the critics and the applause of
the audience that wonderful first night
had been the commentator OF hand
some Ralph Davis. who was playing the
Oliver
Great work. little girl" he had said
enthusiastically. as he seized her two
hands at the fall OF the final curtain.
The stat herself never did If better,
That was long ago, transformations
History as reckOned by the crowded
record OF the dramatic caiendar,-apd
the hopes and dreams inspired by that
hour or success had never eventuated
snto anything stronger or more lasting.
Both she and Davis had at that point
touched the high-water mark of their
careers, and since mad steadily retro
Eraded-he TO the position OF a loafer
and lounger along the Rialto, she to a
freadmill round of road companies and
one night stands
Yet the two had always remained
1riends-somethinS more than friends.
most people believed Indeed. those
were not wanting who declared that.
had il not been for her infatuated de-
votion 10 Davis, Edythe Elliott's early
promise would haze ripened into fuI-
fllment.
1t was through espOusing a quarrel
OF his that she had left the great
managers fold. She had refused adj
vantageous engagements from other
managers because he was not TO be In
cluded in the company. She had dragged
her good name in the dust for his sake.
and for him had relinquished woman's
priced privilege Of becoming a wife
and mother, since Davis. as ne caIlously
declared. was not a marrying man"
And the man had repaid all this by
little more than bare liberation; by lies.
when it suited his purpose to cajole her;
by open neglect, when he had nothing
10 gain: by preying in season and out
of season upon her scanty resources.
and interfering capricously with her
every prospect FOR advancement.
lie could not even claim the poor
virtue Of fidelity, for his affairs of the
heart were a matter Of discussion
among his acquaintance. and, save TO
Edythe, he made no attempt to deny
them.
To support this role Of lady-killer. he
was always carefully groomed, and he
still retained some traces Of his former
good looks. but he had taken on flesh
tsoefully since the days when he was a
Broadway matinee idol. and his face be-
trayed lines and cresses craven by
selhshness and hard living.
For this reason, and also because he
was known to the managers as a NAL
content and trouble-maker, 1t was only
enthusiastically that he could get a
brief engagement. and he sUbsisted for
the most part by his facility in making
touches and by those other precar-
i0us arts OF obtaining livelihood IA
niliar TO the daily saunterers between
the two newspaper squares"
Tie fellow. in snort, was cheap,
fiashy imitation. "has-been" in his
profession.
Nor was Edythe Elliott blind to his
faults and imperfections. She was no
Weakling, either, no silly girl now, OF
romantic ideas. whatever she might
have been when she first fell under
Davis influence She was a woman
ECfOole0 IN LAe academy OF anFerEltV
ana hard knocks, yet knowing the
worst there was 70 know, she yet
chung TO the man with en- affection
worthy Of a better object
II there was no place for him 20 20,
he knew that he was always sure OF a
welcome at her tiny fat More than
once had she handed over 10 him her
last dollar. not knowing where her
own next days food was 10 come from
She wrote TO MIN every day when up
on the road, although the only response
she ever received was an occasional
peremptory demand for money.
Passing the love OF woman"
Could the inspired writer have found
stronger siuile to express the truest
and most disinterested ehection2
Even now. tired and disheartened as
she was, tne actress pale harassed
face frightened at the sound Of his
voice, and she turned % him with
quick smile Of surprised pleasure
why, Ralpltt' she exclaimed, II
didn't know YOU were back I'm town.
They told me when I came or the
road that you had temporarily dropped
out Of sight, but nobody seemed TO know
what voU were up 20, and. of course,
you couldn't take the trouble 10 write
me Where have YOU been, Ralph, and
what have YOU been doing2'
well, I was at Saratoga, last" he
answered. shade indefinitely. Thought
might be able 20 make a little stake
or of the ponies, but, Lordi" he threw
out his hands with a gesture more ex-
pressive than words.
you haven't got n tcn-spOt about YOU
that isn't working. have vou2 They
sPfTnn1ed me so clean no there at the
Springs that 7 really don't know where
I'm going to eat unless you come 20
the rescue"
She hesitated a second. although she
nniEht have anticipated the request: but
finally opening her shabby bag, she FUN
bled in IT'S TcresseS and produced q
crumpled. little roll OF bills
II only have digit dollars" she said.
passing fl over reluctantly. land T
pawncd pretty near everything I had
left 20 get that for the rent today The
landlord viii be around this afternoon
and now I don't know what ] shall Doe
able 20 say 20 him"
"Oh, sing him n song" counseled
DAVIS, airiiy, as he trust her contribu-
ton into his waistcoat pocket. Put
on the tremOlO stop 10 your voice, and
tell him about a dying sister you've got
out iu Indiana I've hcld mine off for
weeks on n stall Ike that.
But you haven't told me yet how
things have been making out with you
ne discreetiv changed the subject II
can see YOU are trOtting to the agents,
50 I suppose there's nothing In sight,
eh2''
Nothing" she shook her head drear-