The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-01

She stood in the lobby OF the thea
ter, looking alternately the dial
OF her watch to the door and then
back again. The air of ~vexation
which would have made an Ml-natured
girl ugly only added a piquant charm
TO her prettiness. A young man.
modify surveying a life-sized photo
graph of Maud Adams. hanging high
on the wall, allowed his attention to
wander TO the sever little frown
creastng the smooth forehead. where
frowns hardly seemed at home.
People were hurrying In. The or
cnestra was playing. In a minute the
curtain would go up. Peggy looked
daspairingiy at the watch. hopefully
toward the door. But there was no
sign Of Violet. and the red In Peggy,s
cheeks deepened.
1T was SO foolish to Violet
10 buy the tickets" Peggy told her
self, swallowing uncomfortable Jumps
in her throat which would not stay
swallowed. II seemed incredible that
she should have foreseen what now
she cav so plainly. OF course Violet
would be late. She was always late.
Her promise &c be on hand at z
O'Clock meant absolutely nothing.
Niolet's tardy arrivals We're never her
fault. Invariably she came full of
excuses which no reasonable person
could refuse TO accept, but there never
was an occasion when could
he dispensed with. Peggy blamed
herself for not having taken this into
She was going 10 be late. Peggy
biinked and swallowed. It's a
shame she declared, just as the
young man at her side uttered an i'm
patient exclamation. Involuntariiy
they turned and stared at each other
and he lifted his hat II beg pardon
he said. interrogatively.
81 didn't mean to say IT out
loud" Peggy explained. But
thought 1t so hard tina 1t just popped
out. I'm waiting for a friend" 7-,
$50 am l." said the young man
gioomiiy. "He promised to be OF
time. but he never is" He sighed.
-4And neither is Violet Peggy ex
claimed. And how ! could have beer
SO foolish as TO leave her to brins
The tickets, / can't imagine.
Haven't you got your tickets
rven?" asked the young man. witt
yyIHpErny.
-No. OF course not, shouidn'
xaIt III had-HaNe you yours"
He drew two tickets from hi
pocket and displayed them. She took
I'd enviously at the cardboard slips
20. why do you waltz" she cried. ."
wouldn't, Very likely he Won't com
the secoud act, anyhow.
Perhaps he won't" said the youn
. man. theHghtfuilF-H He looked at tn
tickets and then at Peggy. Then h
locked at the photograph of Maud
Adams.
1T seems a pity for you to miss tn,
opening OF the play" said the youni
man diffidenfiy, With a second tick
81 in my pocket. why shouldn't yol
20 In with ruee-Sfnce our frtsul
u has two tickets you need not Zee
any %seTuples as far as she is con
cerned. And we tan adjust matter
IN the first iutermission."
There was "A iong pause, rh
young man began 10 be afraid tha
peggy was too much offended I
reply. He turned his eyes from tn
picture on the wall To the pictur
at his elbow. But Peggy was no
angry. Her eyes were shining, he
hands were claspcd. her lips parted
.sDo you-do think 1t would -
awful OF me 70 say yes1" Peggy in
cuired ~anxiousiy.
II think IL would he very sensisl
OF you" the u man replied, an
- tina seasaaa TIA seti!a-tha4aaestiaae
They went In swiftly and took thei
seats just as the curtain went up. An
Peggy straightway forgot her escor
and the unconventtonaltty of her az
fion In accepting his invitation. an
laughed. and cried n enjoyed hei
self after a fashion ineomprehens
BILE to the blase theatergoer. TIL
young man gave comparatively HIT
attention To what was taking piao
behind the fonilights- Instead /
watched Peggy.
He wal sorry when the curtain fl
II the end of the first act. and gia
that Peggy was rather slow In con
Ing hack to the world OF reality.
oh" she exclaimed at last. wit