Evening star., 1911-08-12
CHAPTER XXXII.
Bills Star.

| imagined the old self of a few weeks
! since-the young and popular ofhcer-in-
he-guards self-obeying the beckoning
| finger of such man. But he walked to-
ward it like lamb. ard was introduced
| to Mrs. Jacobus Miss Moon) and Miss
de Lisle.
/ AS star Of the company Miss de L.sle
ought of course, to have come first, but
Miss Moon. the heavy lead f"heavy'' in
more senses than one, was not lady to
submit to such distinctions.
| She would probably have said that Lille
| de Lisie was star only because it suited
the convenience of Mr.. and Mrs. Jacobus
to head the troupe. financed by their
money, with pretty enough little SOU
brette. likely to take the popular fancy.
] Miss Moons first sweeping glance at
the newcomer was one ofssef-consclous,
| important condescension: but seeing that
! he was extremely handsome. we'll
| dressed young man, with an air ana an
appearance widely different from the
! tenth-rate actors of her acquaintance.
| past and present. her face and manper
| changed Instead of posing as the man
ayers wife. she set herself to vie with
| Lille de Lisle in youthful charm. as she
sent forth a radiant, long-lashed look to
| fascinate Mr. Perceval Gordon.
! She was big woman of forty-two or
three with the splendid ruin of what had
] been a fine figure. an erectness or head
| which partly concealed the existence of
a double chin. complexion spoiled by a
| love of rich food and constant use OF
| powder, singularly wide-open dark eyes
fringed with painted lashes and good
deal of bright crimson hair edged with
! rusty brown at the roots.
| Beside Miss Moon Bills little GAL
looked like a tiny fishing boat bobbng
under the lee of a large schooner: but she
| was q pretty creature whose curly hair
| was naturally almost as golden as 1t gilt
| tered gray-blue eyes which ought TO have
! been mischievous and merry, but were
! anxious. clear. rather freckled white
| skin, and the piquant nose and innocent
| smile of a child.
| These ladies were not dressed tidly
as their best friends might have wished.
| but Loveland had grown used TO Isidora
and did not pick flaws lightly They
! were both very cordial 10 him. somewhat
! it would have seemed-to Mr. Jacobus
| contemptuous annoyance: and then. at
! Miss Moons suggestion Ed Binney ir-
/ troduced Mr.. Gordon. across and down
! the length of the table. to all the other
members Of the company
| There were few non theatrical diners
! in the room. commercial travellers. ap-
4 parently: but they were at the far end of
| the table, ard were not addressed. though
| they were on nodding acquaintance with
several of the actors and actresses.
The latter were two in number besides
/ Miss de Lisie and Mrs. Jacobus. Miss
Ruby ST. Claire, whose mission was to
act small parts and play the piano. was
| Of the startled -fawn order of young fe-
male. evidently rot long out OF amateur
hood: and Mrs Winter, who had passed
1 the age when 1t was necessary to pre-
serve her maiden name for programs.
| She was reserved and suspicious-looking
woman who watched her husband with
! short, sicelong giances of anxiety either
/ fo- his conduct or his health. As for
him. he was thin detected. gray little
man. who suffered apparently from a
broken heart or shattered digestion.
| His lips worked, and the lids of his eyes.
which winked almost continually. were
| redrimmed. He seemed acutely con-
scious of Mrs. Winters constant scrutiny.
! The remaining male members of the
company were Mrs. Jacobus' two sons.
| Tom and Bob Eccles They We're be-
| tween twenty and twenty-five. and like
1 their mother. though one was fat with
| the lazy smile of a Buddha. and the
| other, who through a cast in his eye just
missed being handsome, inclined to be
| truculent.
| Loveland had intended to take chair
I next his roommate, but Miss Moon made
| a mace for him between ferself and
Notwithstanding Bob. As everybody ex-
| cept Jack Jacobus and the Winters talked
| and joted continually. ii was surprising
| how fast they ate. The corned beef and
| ca bhage. the onions and the timed Amer
! lean corn which, with other eatables and
uneatables. surrounded their plates in
wreath of little earthenware dishes. disap-
peared as If by conjuring, to be swiftly
! replaced by apple pie and cheese. that
| magically vanished from the face OF the
| table in their turn. Nearly every one
drark large cupfuls of milky coffee with
| their dinner; and twenty minutes after
| beginning the meal all had finished. with
| the exception of Loveland. who was rot
| accustomed to giving his food such short
shrift He rose with the others. however.
and a few moments later the company
! was Strae Cling In a procession to the
| theater
| But after all, it was not theater and
even courtesy gave it no more high
! sounding name than hall 1t stood at
| the end of Main street. its brick front
! wall plastered with wonderful colored
| posters representing the most sensational
/ scenes in the Human Flowers repertoire.
| To reach the stage II was necessary to
| mount a long, rnud-caked staircase and
| to pass through the auditorium. AS for
| dressing rooms, they did not exist. for it
| had been a second thought Of some light
| minded town council to turn the hall into
| a. place where theatrical representations
| on either side Of the stase lad been cur
tanned off with sheets. shawls and squares
of canvas irgeniorsly ccaTed TO hold to-
| sether. These screens reached unevenly
from twentyfoEr to twelve inches OF the
floor, and at worst an actor in dressing
himself could be seen no higher than the
knees-uness. perhaps. too bright light
behind the partition might reveal his
| whole person Ell silhouette.
i Loveland was anxious to talk with the
star about her old friend-if not love
Bill Willing: and he had hoped on start
ing to walk by her side: but Miss Moon,
seeing his desire. had instantly frustrated