The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-02
(Continued.)

caused a little trouble, as we had un Sertaken to have DOumice come ove and give the lectures, and Doumic really was announced. Doumice him self wired us that there had beer changes in his program made neces sary by family affairs and that he hat persuaded Vavin to deliver the cours for him and take up the work. 0 course 1t Is perfectly splendid" tt
 And he is here in townT' askes Dora.
 "Yes; he is stopping at the hotel"
 She settled back in the cab. Th first contented feeling that she hat had since the announcement of th' closing of the tour had come to her il the thought that at least in the com pany of Vavin she would gain th' strength with which to meet thu dreaded female relative.
 vavin was out when they arrived the hotel, but they met at dinner, ht just as blithesome and happy over tn. meeting as she was. He kissed he hand affectionately.
 "My dear little Miss Dora," he said s.it is so nice to see you again."
 Her father had told her during ths afternoon that vavin had been mucf interested in her experiment with tht stage--in fact. he had written to hin most sorrowfully that his daughtes was about to go on the stage and thai he had been unable to control her. Il was in reply to this letter that VaviI had accepted the invitation to visit Fullerton and lecture in America.
 "Ycu have had jolly experience eh?" he said when they were seated "You have been an actress, eh?'' Then noticing that through her smiles there was a suggestion of tear, he patte0 her hand and said:
 ''It is very fine to be une actrice, ne c'est pas? Fai,urei What is that A great experience. Had you succeed ed you would know little. You have failed; you are not forgotten"
 Fullerton himself, however, did not seem to agree to the turn the cen versation had taken, and during the rest of the dinner he carefully avoided allowing the subject to be brought up. 1t apparently was a great humiliation for this man that first wife and then a daughter should have gone into things that to his mind were not of the we'll ordered world.
 They passed the evening at the the ater. Vavin, much to his own amaze ment, had found that he had an en. gagement in the "fat west" as he call. ed it.
 ''I had expected" he explained to Dora, that if did any other featuring than that which Professor Fullerton had asked me to do it would be mat ter that I would think over. But be- fore left Paris signed an agreement to lecture quite frequently. I arrived today. I lecture tomorrow afternoon in Pittsburg, is it not? Wonderful country! I should not have been sur prised at all, though I hardly contem- plated such a thing, believe me- had l been met halfway on the ocean by a steamship full of people who wished to hear of the wondrous beauties of the French lecture of the drama and critique''
 During the entr'acte Dora caught sight of Holcomb leaning over the rail at the rear of the orchestra gazing steadily at her. She bowed to him cordially. He seemed to hesitate, and then she gave him further indications that she would be glad to see him. He came down to the box hesitatingly and looking trifle guilty. She was too much pleased, however, to notice this, though Vavin's sharp eye caught the young mans embarrassment
 Miss Fullerton tells me that you are also of the experiment. said Vavin politely.
 "It had the ingredients of an experi- ment. sir," replied Holcomb, "but it hardly lasted long enough to be so de nominated"
 You should be good actor" said vavin, looking at him and scrutinizing his face carefully.
 II should rather, sir, be a good au. thor"
 "Ah. you write, then"
 "I had my first play accepted this afternoon, sir,' he said, looking al Dora, whose face flushed with pleas ure, for on the road he had told hel of his ambitions, though he was hard ly hopeful concerning a play which he had left in the hands of a manager before they left New York.
 "The first play" unused Vavin, nod ding approvingly-"that is great thing. It is like first marriage or a first baby. You can never have a first play a second time. I envy you.''
 Holcomb laughed.
 .''That is very pleasant thing tC hear from your lips, NJ. Vavin," he said. '1 have read everything of yours that has been published. I should be very happy if I could think at the end of my life that my best work could even be compared with your worst"
 "You mean La Marriage de Mime DaubignyY suggested Vavin. smiling referring to a play that had been pro duced several years back and that ha had a notoriously unsuccessful receI ten.
 ''No. sir" said Holcomb, looking hir squarely in the eye; II mean 'Le Dam Rouge"
 'That. my boy" said Vavin, layin his kand on his shoulder-"that wa a good play, but it was written by sour heart"