The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-03-09

He had had to tell the cruel truth
about Norma Heating as an actress,
and he felt that the high spirited girl
never would forgive him.
Jimmie, the persistent, hung over the
desk.
"She don't look like an actress" he
declared, using the argument he knew
to be most potent. can she's pippin
for fairr'
II can't see any one who does not
send in a card" declared Hartley as
he turned to his work again, and jim
mic dashed out presently to return
with a bit of pasteboard.
With a start Hartley read Norma's
name and gave orders that she be
ushered In. 1t was better perhaps
that since there was to be quarrel
they should meet on his own ground.
Somehow, with the familiar sur
roundings, he felt more safe than he
ever could in the -parlor Of the little
actress suit at the hotel. With a
sternness that indifferently masked the
misery that he felt he prepared to re
ceive his caller
He had expected that she would
come storming in to denounce him for
his criticism and to declare him biased
and unfair.
He was braced for the shock and
lily prepared for the sight Of the de-
jected little woman who came timidly
into his dingy Office, her rich furs
forming a strange contrast to the bare
walls and cheap furniture.
Jimmie slipped away after one last
admiring glance, and then the girl
raised her eyes to Hartley's and met
the pity in his bravely.
81 did not come to reproach you for
your notice." she said, with a quick
appreciation of his attitude, 1T was
your right to say what you pleased.
paid a big price for the special per
Torrance in order to get the metro
politan notices, and in doing so l ex=
posed myself to every form Of critical
attack
81 suppose that you are expected to
Dc SEVERE vi DSSihnCAS D ~ hAOA~ N1S
them and beat them down and force
them into their proper places.
"You demand that we start at the
bottom. can see now that it was abb
surd to think that l could win favor
able comment from the great men who
have made their reputation more
through the savageness of their at
tacks than through their ability as
critics."
"And yet you said you had not come
to reproach?" he asked gently. Even
in her bitterness he noticed a new
note In the rich voice. 1t hurt him to
think that he was In part responsible
for that little catch Of pain which
would sound, try as she would to be
hard and cynical.
1t was as If her whole quivering
soul was laid bare in spite Of the dress
of words with which she sought to
clothe it.
II did not mean to say that" she
cried. 81 only meant to come and ask
you If you would let me have my pho
tographs back You and the rest Of
your confreres have beaten me. l am
In retreat. 1 am going as far from
New York as l can. want to take
with me everything that is mine"
''You should have sent your agenl
and spared yourself he reminded her
gently. 81 will see that the pictures
are found for you. VIII you sit
DOWN.
He indicated chair as he rang for
boy, and presently Jimmie went
away with instructions that Miss
Keatings photographs were to be re-
turned by the art department at once.
Neither spoke until the boy had laid
the package down and had departed
for the outer Office. Then Hartley rose
and placed them on the chair beside
her.
There is another one" she said un-
certainly, ''the one that I gave you.
MAY l have it back, pleaseT
''If you wish" he promised as he
turned again to his desk to draw from
one of the recesses photograph with
flowing autograph across its face.
s'Does your anger go so deep that you
are unwilling to leave me even this
souvenir of a friendship that | shall
always treasure in my memory" he
.sked. MAY l not keep it?"
ITO add to your sacrificial heap" she
retorted bitterly. 81 suppose you must
have a goodly collection Of those you
have fiayed.'
"I have few photographs-and few
friends among the women of the pro-
fession," he said simply as he opened
a drawer for an envelope. 81 had
hoped to number your first among
those few"
He held the envelope toward her,
and for a moment she hesitated. She
seemed about to leave the room, but
she turned and faced him again.
"You told me once that you never
would marry an actress" she said
tensely. ''Was it because-because you
did not want me on the stage that you
that you wrote as you did?'
81 have made no secret Of my ad-
miration for you" said Hartley sim
ply. "and l may have made the re-
mark you attribute to me, but it was
with no desire to drive you from the
stage that l framed my criticism as l
did"
Cant you see," he continued pas
sionately, "the awful position in which
/ was placed If praised your acting,
l should have made my paper the
laughingstock of the town. If spoke
the truth l knew that l should lose
you. Every line Of the story in this
mornings paper was studied that !
might speak as warmly as I dared
without stultifying the paper"
ut was a little better than the rest, "
admitted Norma, but l thought you
had been a little kind so that l would
not suspect how you had induced the
other critics to be so merciless."
"On the contrary, 1 saw none Of the
boys" he declared 81 was far too
sick at heart to mix with them and
hear their ugly comments"
"Was I really as bad as thatf" asked
the girl wonderingly. Il thought 1t
was because l was an amateur and
had the money to hire the theater and
the company. They always jump
upon the rich amateurs, had heard,
1 thought that was it. Was l really
as bad as all that?"