The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-04-16

something In the peaceful scene that
stirred this hunted man strangely
after the stress and trouble Of the
past nightmare week.-Mrs. little, old
fashioned country town that was
probably never really awake on six
days out OF the seven.
Today. being market day. II had
been busy enough, and the streets
bustling and full Of stir. and round
the stone market cross In the cob
bled square stalls where farmers
wives sold butter and eggs: and out
side the inns carriers carts standing
and ioud-voiced conntrymen gossiping
in groups. But now silence had fall
en-, the stalls stood cleared and bare.
and The last trap had driven back TO
the outlying farm houses: the lights
had died out of the windows. the town
had gore to sleep.
The broken moonlight splashed the
fronts of the houses opposite and
touched the stone cross TO carved sill
ver-the moon that away across the
width of Yorkshire was peeping
through the window OF a girls room.
he thought of 1t touching her face as
she lay sleeping in her white bed at
the rectory. the beautiful face with
Its crown Of dark hair tossed In It's
sweet, careless disorder against the
pillow only by the width OF an Eng
fish county in point Of mere miles.
Lob, "A
vided them!
The thought OF her face was the
last image In his mind when he fell
asleep.
The next few days passed quickly.
Jack found his hands full: there was
little time to brood. The scenery
wanted touching up. he was set TO
work on one or two new seas. under
the eye OF the stout lady In the blue
velvet and sequins: then presently
rchcarsais began, as the company was
completed.
They were opening In town In the
Midlands where they would stay 4
fortnight. with change OF bill each
night. As Joe Grisson had said one
had TO be a quick study. The theater
was usually put mp In a field hired for
the purpose. built of green painted
boards. all numbered. which fitted to.
gether and were fastened by iron
stanchions: the roof was tarpaulIn
stretched over framework The seats
were merely rush benches. except 4
few LEGALLY hired chairs that formed
the o2her-priced part OF the audito
rum.
There was seating accommodation
for as many as 600, and Mr.. Chatter
ton had done better out OF his tours
than many an elaborate company Wis.
ting the regular provincial theaters--
had made small fortune out OF the
business. The local gentry would pat.
ronize the show. especially on the
SHAKESPEARE nights OF the week, In
most OF the towns visited. Chatter.
toms was by way OF being an institu.
ton.
Before the end OF the hrst week the
sense Of novelty had worn of. and
Jack LathOm dropped an easily into
his new surroundings as though he
had been accustomed 10 the life for
years He got on well with the com.
pany. and II his rendering of the mi.
nor parts allotted TO him was not brill.
liant. he acquitted himself well enough
TO satisfy Mr.. Chat,erton. He found
the life pleasant enough, though II
was hard work; the continual change
Of play. usually old stock melodramas,
necessitated daily rehearsals.
II was late one Sunday night when
the theatrical company got out OF the
train at q dead.and-alive station on
their journey TO the second town OF
the tour. II had been tedious jour.
ney: not that the distance covered
had been great. but they had been
shnnted on 10 siding for fifty min.
utes, and they had hecn kept waiting
unfortunately at functions. after the
manner Of the trains provided by rail /
way companies for theatrical Sunday
travelling. every one was glad to step
out on 10 the draughty. badly.lighted ,
platform.
though that's better than crawling
along from siding to siding al Ave
miles an hour?" grumbled Joe. The
country town they were going to had
a nearer railway station, but II hap
pened to be on another line. and In. |
accessible by the train that had
brought them. But | think the |
sns'Ior might have arranged about |
conveyance for the men as well ar |
The ladies. ! had enough walking that |
day. Monty and footed IL from Sia |
ton 10 last me for some time..
Jack did not mind the walk. He
was glad TO stretch his legs. And at |,
the end of their journey supper would
be awaiting them At the Kings Arms. |
for which they were bound. so he
only laughed al Joe's grnmbles as the |.
male members Of the company set out