The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-09-09

scendo of the tragedy carried her into
a mood that barred out Ella, barred
out Clara, barred out Harry more
than any; but, unaccountably, Kerr
was still with her. He was there by
no will of hers, but by some essence
of his own, some quality that linked
him, as it linked her, to the passion
ate subtleties of life. He seemed to
her the eager spirit that was prompt
ing and putting forward this comedy
and tragedy playing on before her.
She heard him reasserted vigorous,
lawless, wandering in the voice of the
mimic strolling player, addressing his
mimic audience. The appeal of the
tenor to the voiceless galleries, I'm
derneath this little play we show,
there is another play" seemed indeed
the very voice of Kerr repeating itself.
The lights went up with spring. A
wave of motion flckered over the
house, the talking voices burst forth
all at once, and she saw him, really
saw him for the first time that even
ing, as in her fancy, part of the au-
dience; as in her fancy, neither ap-
plauding nor dissenting, yet with
what difference! He leaned back In
his chair, and leaned his head little
back, as if, for WEAKNESS, he wished
there were a rest behind it; and how
indifferently, how critically, how lev
ely he surveyed the f1uttered house,
and the figures in the box beside him!
| Il To
spirit who had dominated the dark;
how emptied of the heat of magma
! ton, how worn, how dry; and even in
his salience, how singularly pathetic!
She felt a lump in her throat, an
ache of the cruelest disappointment
as though some masker, masking as
the fire of life, had suddenly removed
the coverings of his face and showed
her the burnt-out bones beneath. She
found herself looking at him through
a mist of tears-there in the heart OF
publicity, in the middle of the circle
of velvet curtains!
He turned and saw her. She watch
ed a smile of the frankest pleasure
rising, as it were, to the surface Of
his weary preoccupation. Something
had delighted him. Why, 1t was her
self-just her being there! And she
could only helplessly blink at him.
Was ever anything so stupid as to be
caught in tears over nothing He
Strengthened and leaned forward
Really" he said you must re-
member that little man has only gone
out for a glass of beer"
So he thought it was the tenor who
had brought her to the point of tears.
"Ah, why do you say that?" she pro-
tested.
He continued to smile indulgently
upon her. Would you really rather
believe 1t true?"
II don't know. But wish you
hadn't thought Of the beer"
He brought the glace of his monocle
to bear full upon her. why not? 1t
is all we make sure OF"
ooh, If to be sure is all you want"
she burst out; "but you don't mean
i it! Wouldn't you rather have some
thing beautiful you weren't sure of,
than something certain that didn't
matter?"
He nodded to this quite casually, as
If it were an old acquaintance.
ooh, yes; but the time comes round
when you want to be sure of some
thing. The sun never sets twice alike
over Mont Pelee; but you can always
get the same brand of lager to-day
| hol hn hnfnro Hn
looked at her with faint amusement.
mo, mol 1 won't believe you" she
stoutly denied him. There is more
in life than you can touch. You're
not like yourself to say there is not"
He laughed, but rather shortly.
my dear child, forgive me; I'm sulky
tonight. I feel, as l felt at IS, that
the world has treated me badly. I've
lost my luck"
'Tm sorry" Her tone was sweetly
vague. What could be the matter
with him? Then, half timidly, she
rallied him. IF you go on like this,
1 shall have to show you my tails
man."
ooh, have you indeed talisman?"
he humored her. And 1t was as II he
said: ooh, have you doll?" He did
not even turn his head to look at her.
She was chilled. She felt the disap-
pointment, that his quick smile had
lightened, return upon her. She hard
ly noticed the rise of the curtain on
the second little play, and the sing
ing voices did not reach her with
any poignancy. She was vaguely
aware of movements in the box-of
Harry's coming in, of Clara's little
rustic making room for him, Of the
shift of Elias chair away from the
business of listening, toward him, and
her husky whisper going on with
some prolonged tale of dull escapade;
but to Flora they all made only
banal background for the brooding ST.
lence of her companion.
(To BE CoNTINUED)