The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-10-16
CONTINUED from last Saturday,
CHAPTER VI.

impressing upon him that he was not
20 speak not to whisper, not to ap-
plaud, not to make any sound, from
the moment he entered the theater
ill he left it for the dinner interval
I He was far too happy with her to
] question anything she said, and
5beyed her most scrupulously. Twen-
Ey-four hours earlier she would have
laughed at the idea that his presence
! beside her at such a time could be not
only bearable, but sympathetic, yet
hat seemed natural now The diva
nd the ex-cowbOy, the accomplished
musician and the Californian miner.
he sensitive, gifted, capricious WON
an and the iron-jawed mOney-wolf had
found that they had something in
common. Wagner's last music affected
hem in the same way.
Such things are not to be explained,
and could not be believed if they did
not happen again and again before
the eyes of those who know how to
see, which is quite a different thing
from merely seeing Margaret's sud
den liking for the man she had once
so thoroughly disliked had begun
when he had whistled to her 1t grew
while he sat beside her in the dark
ened theater. She was absorbed by
the music, the action, and the scene,
and at this second hearing she could
follow the noble poem itself; but she
was subconscious of what her neigh
Dor felt. He was not so mOtionless
IL ~ hot
he must sit still; he was not so in
tent on what he heard and saw, mere
ly to please her; it was not mere in
terest that held him, still less was it
curiosity The spell was upon him;
he was entranced, and Margaret
knew it.
Even when they left the theater and
drove back to the hotel, he was silent,
and she was the first to speak. Mar
garet hated the noise and confusion
of the restaurant near the Festival
theater.
"You have enjoyed it." she said.
Tn glad brought you"
I've felt something I don't under
3 stand" Van Torp answered gravely.
She liked the reply for its simplici-
ty. She had perhaps expected that
he would summon up his most pic
turesque language to tell her how
much pleasure the music had given
him, or that he would perhaps laugh
at himself for having been moved;
but instead, he only told her that he
lid not understand what he had felt;
and they walked on without another
word
Go and get something to eat" she
said when they reached the hotel,
and I'll meet you here in half an
lour don't care to talk either"
He only nodded, and lifted his hat
she went up the steps; but instead
4 going to eat, he sat down on
bench outside, and waited for her
here, rejecting on the nature of his
new experience.
Like most successful men, he looked
On all theories as trash, good enough
% amuse clever idlers. but never to
De taken into consideration in real
ife. He never asked about the prin-
;iple on which any invention was
ounded: his first and only question
vas: viii it work."
Considering himself as the raw ma
erial, and the theater he had just
eft as the mill, he was forced to ad-
nit that "Parsifal'' worked"
Presently Margaret came out of the
otel, expecting to find him waiting
1r her within the hall, and prepared
be annoyed with him for taking so
1ng over a meal She stood on the
Yep and looked about, and saw him
ting on the bench at a little dis
nee. He raised his eyes as she came
awards him and then rose quickly.
rs it time?" he asked.
Yes. she said. Did you get any
ning decent to eat?"
YES" he answered vaguely. THAT
3, now I think of it, forgot about
inner. It doesn't matter"
She looked at his hard face curious
and saw a dead blank, the blank
lat had sometimes frightened her by
S possibilities. when the eyes alone
anne suddenly to life.
Won't you go in and get a biscuit,
a sandwich" she asked after
toment.
oh, no. thanks I'm used to skip
ing meals when I'm interested in
ings. Let's go, if you're ready"
I believe you are one Of natures
yagnerites." Margaret said, as they
-ove up the hill again, and she
liled at the idea.
We'll" he answered slowly,
here's one thing, if you don't mind
= telrng you. It's rather personal
rhaps I'd better not"
The prima donna was silent for
" moments, and did not look at
n
Tell me-" she said suddenly
ITS this. I don't know how long
i performance lasted, but while it
$ going on I forgot you were close
side me. You might just as well
i have been there. It's the first