Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-13
HALF A ROGUE
BY HAROLD MAC GRATH
Author of tn Man N tho Box, The Puppet Crown, Hearts and Masks, Etc.
Copyright BobbsMerrnl Co, Indianapolis.

confidence which talent gives to all per-
n After receiving your letter l was
more than ever determined to see you.
So I resorted to this subterfuge. 1t
was all very distasteful to me: but l
possess a vein of willfulness. This is
not my home 1t is the home of a friend
who was kline enough TO turn it ver to
me this night, relying upon my wit to
bring about this meeting"
1T was neatly DONE was Warning
at all. In fact, the girl interested him
tremendously. Il am rather curious to
learn how you went about It,"
You are not angry"
II was"
This seemed to satisfy her.
Well, first learned where you We're
In the habit of dining. All day long a
messenger has been following you. A
telephone brought me to the restau-
rant. The rest you know. 1t was sim
pie.
Very SIMPLE" laconically.
You listened and believed. l have
been watching you. You believed ev-
even been calculating how this scene
might go i'm a play. Have 1 convinced
you that l have the ability to act? ?"
You have fooled me completely:
that ought to be sufficient recommen-
dalton. Miss Challoner, l apologize for
SAito CSSC i W. IilOIC q IIldt. i
promise not to leave this house till you
agree to call at the theater at 10 to-
morrow morning." He was smiling,
and Warrington had a pleasant smile.
He had an idea besides. Good fortune
put it into my head to follow you here.
see it all now. quite plainly. I am in
a peculiar difficulty, and / honestly be-
lieve that you can help me out of 1t.
How long would 1t take you to learn a
leading part? In fact, the principal
part?"
"A week.
Have you had any experience?"
"A short season out west in a stock
company"
Good"
"And 1 love work.
DO not build any great hopes.' he
warned. for your chance depends upon
the whim of another woman. But YOU
have my word and my good offices that
something shall be put in YOU way"
Many months passed after the
episode previously related. Warning
ton sat in his apartment. He laid down
his pen, brushed his smarting eyes,
lighted his pipe. and tilted back his
chair. The scenario was done: the VIII
lain a lighted his last cigaret. the
hero put his arms protectingly around
the heroine. and the irascible rich UNI
Gle had been brought to terms.
Warrington was 35 now. The grey
hair at the temples and the freshness
of his complexion gave him a singu-
larly youthful appearance. His mouth
was even-lipped and rather pleasure
loving. which. without the balance of
a strong pose, would have appealed to
you as effeminate. Warrington's was
what the wise phrenologists call the
lighting nose; no pugnacious. but the
nose of a man who will fight for what
he believes to be right, fight bitterly
and fearlessly. Today he was famous
a leading American dramatist, but only
yesterday he had been fighting, retreat
ing. throwing up this redoubt, digging
this trench; fighting. fighting. Poverty,
ignorance N contempt he fought;
fought dishonesty, and vice, and treach-
cry, and encouragement.
Presently he leaned toward the desk
and picked up a letter. He read it
thoughtfully. and his brows drew to-
gether:
Richard warrington-You will smile.
know. when o e a this letter,
doubtless SO many like 1t are mailed to
you day by day. You will toss It into
the waste basket, too. as 1t deserves to
be. But 1t had to be written. How
ever. I feel that I am not writing to a
mere stranger. but to a friend whom I
know we'll. Three times o have en-
tered into my life, and on each occa-
sion you have come by q different ave.
nue.. I was Ill at school when you first
appeared to me. It was a poem in a
magazine. It was SO full of the spirit
of j~oyousness, SO full Of kindness, SO
rich In faith and hope, that I cried over
1t, cut 1t out mi treasured 1t, and re-
read 1t often in the lonely hours when
things discouraged MEETINGS which
mean 80 little to women but so much
to girls. Two years went by. and then
came that brave book! It was like COM
Ing across a half-forgotten friend. l
actually ran home with It. and sat up
all night to complete it. It was splen-
did. 1t was the poem matured, broad
ened. rounded. And finally your first
play! How I listened to every word,
watched every move! / wrote you a
letter that night. but tore 1t up not
having the courage to send It to you.
How versatile you must be; a poem. a
book. q play! have 9 all your
plays these five years. plays merry
and gay, sad and grave. How many
times you nave my~steriously told me
to be brave! envy and admire yous
What an exquisite thing It must be to
hear ones thoughts spoken across the
would hurt me to know that you could
laugh ct my honest admiration. You
won't laugh. will you? I am sure you
win value this letter for IT. honesty
rather than for Ito literary quality. /
have often wondered Whist you were
like. But after al, that can not mat
tor. since you ars good ana kind and
wise; for you can not b. else. ana
write the LOFTY things you do"
Waytineton put the letter away.
placod q carefully among the few
things he held oe value. L would not
be true g say that It lett him unaf-