El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-08-06

TEE was In the row behind them
She had seen him as they en-
= - tered. The usher was slow and
awkward in pulling down their seats,
and as she waited-for one swift sec
ond their eyes met. And then she
passed into her seat, painfully con-
scious of the color that was burning
her face and that he could not help
but see
Her father turned to her with some
remark about the crowded house, Dut
she hardly heard him. She was trying
to think clearly, to realize what the
evening would be-with him only
few yards away.
The lights were lowered now, the
orchestra ceased, and the curtain rose.
She leaned back with a little sigh OF
relief. thankful for the darkness that
would shield her face. With an effort
she forced her attention to the stage.
The scene represented the library or
an English house. A maid was busting
the chairs and carrying on an AMI
mated conversation with the butler HOW
wildly it recalled a remark he mad
once made-that in two-thirds or the
society plays the curtain rose on
maid busting the chairs and brfc-a-
brac That if she would only dust
them well it would not annoy one so,
DuC Sno Always HldUc the
ual little dabs here and there-no SELL
respecting house-girl ever busted ike
that
els This DIR. Graftonr'
She felt an inclination TO laugh as she
watched this girl making purposeless
little whisks with her buster. She was
busting one chair now for the third
time, just flicking over the seat ana
back without touching it anywhere else
f1rr- rro
looking on with his grave amused eyes.
1t was at the end of the second act
that the usher came hurrying toward
them.
rs this DR.. Grafton"
Her father bowed.
There is a telehone call for you at
the office, sir"
The possibility of her father being
called away tonight had not occurred
to her That he always entered in the
physicians register the location OF his
seat, she knew. and he was often call
ed, but tonight-she caught his arm
''Oh, you must not leave me here-If
you go I shall go with YOU
why, my dear. how foolish. / will
send the carriage back for you.
Yes. l know-but 1 don't wish to
stay"
Now, that is nonsense. and besides.
why, here is Frank Norton behind u.s.
And before she could stop him he was
leaning over the seat.
Mr.. Norton, 1 am going to leave
Katherine for you to look after. have
just been called out"
II shall be delighted, doctor" 1t was
his voice-and her father was gone.
And then-then he came and took her
fathers seat
Il suppose you know how-how help
less 1 was to prevent this?
i know he answered gravely-
and father-of course, he has not
heard-I have not told him yet"
rs it necessary to say that? 1 knew
of course"
Era Embarrassment and Recruitment.
There was an awkward pause; then
he said prosaicaHy: This seems TO be
rather well staged. does Ii not?"
/ Yes, the staging is good.
But one has grown to expect that,
to resent it if each new production Is
not more deliberately staged than the
last. l sometimes think it is carried too
far. There are times when one feels
that the stage settings are meant to
stand out above everything else; when
even the characters seem secondary.
The curtain rose now on the last act,
and she was saved the effort of a reply.
She felt something like resentment that
he could talk so easily and so well.
That he was talking merely to relievs
her embarrassment, she knew, and yet
she resented the ease and naturalness
with which he did it. She kept her
eyes on the stage, but she was con-
scious only of him and his nearness.
At last it was over, and he led her
out through the crowded house into
the clear GOODNESS of the night. The
great arc lights over the entrance lit up
the long dine of waiting carriages
For the moment she gave herself up
| to the joy of being with him. How nat
ural il seemed-to be with him. How
often they had come out of this. same
theatre together. The touch of his hand
| on her arm as he guided her through
the crowd thrilled her now as it al
ways habitat little imperious touch
! that belonged to no one but him. She
had told him once that if she lay dead
| and he should come and touch her it
would brihgher back to life. Her face
grew crimson at the memory of it. Oh,
| how recklessly she had shown her love.
Their carriage drew up at the curb
! ing now, and moment later they were
| whirling through the city. He put the
| laprobe carefully about her and then