Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-03

. lions AS he watched the girl work he
nodded his head.
I'D like to steal your leading wO-
! man." Benjamin said to Quinlin. X
can place her in road company for q
gear under one of my good stage direct
ors and then bring her into New York"
Go ahead and STEAL" invited Quin-
| lin shes a 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 tc
| make his train.
Maggie only nodded carelcssly. wher
| 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-
Torrance. and she played the last act
with d 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 go to the hotel. but as she emerged
Tom stepped forward with outstretch-
ed hands.
II had TO come to see you." he said
brokenly. lat first | vowed that
would stay out of town while you were
here. but 1 had to come back. and Pm
| glad did
~ 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
| 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. 81
guess thought pretty much the same,
but you--well. when | saw you come
on the stage looking just as you used
TO do | knew you were my Maggie
still"'
! 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 il
, would be easy to continue in that role
! with Tom as opposite
She felt that she could continue heI
, 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 Quinlin anC
: secure the release from her contract.
e As she entered the hotel the man
ager was waiting for her. He had tax
= en- from his trunk her contract for th,
: season. and this he handed to her.
! This sets you free. my girl. Yo,
can so TO Benjam and Broadway,
D he said smilingy. Pm glad that a
last the Metropolitans have contrib
Q uted real star to Broadway"
I'm not going to Benja min." reptile,
. Maggie. I'll play the season out TO
q you If you want me to. but I made
real human hit in the part tonight an,
{ I'm going to keep On playing it 70
;: Tom here in Melrose. Gee. Mr.. Quin
lin, I'm glad he didn't see me las
might as the adventures"