The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1910-07-22

ROYALTY IOE ll6 culSl Va w 4
atty and incidentally Of certain bar
barian personages who had come
across the seas to be automatically
coddled and fed.
Folding his newspaper. John Steele
turned to his legal papers. strove to
replace idleness by industry, but the
spirit Of work failed to respond. He
looked at his watch, rang sharply
bell.
"Put out my clothes" he said to the
servant who appeared with lamp,
"and have a cab ut the door"
The opera had already begun, but
pandemonium still reigned about the
box office. A thunder'of, applause from
within. indicating that the first act
had come to an end. was followed by
the usual egress of black and white
figures impatient for cigarettes ana
light lobby gossip.
Divine, eh? The opera. I mean. A
voice accosted John Steele. and. turn
ing. he beheld familiar face with
black whiskers, that of Captain For
sythe This is somewhat different
from the mornings environment"
YES" said the other. But your first
question:" with smile. Pm afraid
can't answer. I've just come and If
hadn't-well, I'm no judge of music
A bell sounded. John Steele. eXcus-
ing himself, entered the auditorium
and was shown to his seat.
The curtain went up at last. the mu-
sic began, and melodies that seemed
born in the springtime succeeded one
another. Perennial in freshness, theme
followed theme; what joy! what glad
ness. what merriment. what madness.
How long was the act; how short?
1t came to sudden end. After APP
plause and braves men again got up
and walked out. He, too. left his seat
and strolled toward the back.
"Mr. Steele. One moment" He
found himself once more addressed by
| the good humored Captain Forsythe.
Behold in me Il Mercury. committed
to an imperative mission. You are |
commanded to appear not in the royal
box. but in Sir Charles"
Sir Charles Wray's?" John Steele |
regarded the speaker quickly.
Yes" laughed the other You see,
l happened to mention l had seen
you. why didn't you bring him with
you to the box queried Sir Charles. |
He. by the by, went in for law him
self before he became governor.
Only had time to shake hands this
morning. Yes; why didn't you?
spoke up Miss Jocelyn. You coIh-
mand me to bring him?' I inquired.
BY all MEANS she laughed. 1 COM
mand. So here l am"
John Steele did not answer, but
Captain Forsythe without waiting for
a reply turned and started up the
broad stairway. The other, after a
moments hesitation. followed, duly
entered one of the larger boxes, spoke
to Sir Charles and his wife and re-
turned the bow of their niece. Amid
varied platitudes Steele's glance turn
ed oftenest to the girl She was
dressed in white; a snowy boa droop-
ed from the slender bare shoulders as
if it might any moment slip off; a
string of pearls. each one with pearl
of pure light in the center, clasped
her throat
She waved her hand to the seat next
to her and as he sat down, isn't it
splendid" irrelevantly.
The spectacle or the opera" he
asked slowly, looking into blue eyes.
1T was the opera l meant. l sup
pose the spectacle is very grand; but"
enthusiastically, lit was the music l
was thinking of. How it grips one.
4 Tell me what you think of The Bar
ber,' Mr.. Steele"
Pm afraid my views wouldn't be
very interesting" he answered. 81
know nothing whatever about music"
"Nothing"" Her eyes widened lit
tie. In her accent was mild wonder.
He looked down at the shimmering
white folds near his feet. ''In earlier
days my environment was not exactly
a musical one"
mo? 1 suppose you We're engaged
in more practical concerns?'
He did not answer directly. per
haps you wouldn't mind telling me
something about Rossini's music, Miss
Wray?"
Il tell you:" Her light silvery laugh
IdHS oul ALI captain OrSytne mas
only been telling me-all of us-that
you were one of the best informed
men he had ever met"
You see how wrong he was"
The abrupt appearance of the mu.
sicians and the dissonances attendant
on tuning interrupted her response
Steele rose and was about to take his
departure when Sir Charles inter-
vened.
why don't you stay?" he asked,
with true colonial heartiness. "Plenty
of room! Unless you've better
place! Two vacant chairsr'
John Steele looked around He saw
three vacant chairs and took one. a lit
tie aside and slightly behind the, young
girl. while the governors wife, who
had moved from the front at the con-
clusion of the previous act, now re-
turned to her place next her niece.
During the act some one came in ana