The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-04-06
HALF "a ROGUE
BY HAROLD MAC GRATH
Pupp Crown and Masks. ETC.
Copyright Bobbs- danapol s... 4
BY HAROLD MAC GRATH

Il w
In the habit Of dining. All day long a
| messenger has bee3 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. 1 have
been watching you. You believed ev-
erything l have told you. You have
even been calculating how this scene
might GO in a play. Have I convinced
you that have the ability to act?'
You have fooled me completely;
that ought to be sufficient recommen-
dalton. Miss Challoner I apologize for
this letter l do more than that.
promise not to leave this house till you
agree to call at he theater at 10 to-
morrow morning" He was smiling
and Warrington had a pleasant smile
He had an idea besides. Good fortune
put 1t into my head to follow you here.
l see IT all now, quite plainly. / am in
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 / love work"
do not build any great hopes" he
warned. for your chance depends upon
the within Of another woman. But you
have my word and my good offices that
something shall be put in your 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 had lighted his last cigaret, the
hero put his arms protectingly around
the heroine, and the irascible rich un-
Gle had been brought to terms.
Warrington was 35 now. The grey
hair at the temples and the freshness
OF his complexion gave him 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
fighting nose; not 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 and contempt he fought
fought dishonesty, and vice, and treach-
cry, and encouragement.
Presently he leaned toward the desk
and picked up letter. He read II
thoughtfully, and his brows drew to-
gether:
Richard Warrington--You will smile,
/ know, when you read this letter,
doubtless SO many like II are mailed to
you day by day. You will toss 1t into
the waste basket. too. as it deserves to
be. But II had to be written How
ever, / feel that l am not writing TO a
mere stranger, but to friend whom I
know well. Three times you have en-
tered into my life, and on each occa-
sion you have come by n different ave-
nue.. was i'll at school when you first
appeared to me. 1t was poem in a
Magazine. 1t was so full of the spirit
of joyousness, so full of kindness. so
rich in faith and hope, that cried over
it, cut IL out and treasured it. and re-
read 1t often In the lonely hours when
things discouraged MEETINGS which
mean so little to women but so much
to girls. Two years went by and then
came that brave book! 1t was like COM
ing across a half-forgotten friend.
actually ran home with IT. and sat up
al night to complete II. IT was SPLEEN
did, II was the poem matured, broad
ened rounded. And finally your first
play! How / listened to every word.
watched every move. I wrote you q
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. a play i have seen all your
plays these five years. plays merry
and gay. sad ana grave. How many
times you have mysteriously told me
TO be brave! / envy and admire you.
What an exquisite thing 1t must be to
hear ones thoughts spoken across the
footlights! Please do not laugh. It
would hurt me to know that you could
laugh at my honest admiration. You
won't laugh. will you? / am sure you
VIII value this letter for its honesty
rather than for it's literary Quality.
have often wondered what you were
like. But after all, that can not mat
ter. since you are good and kind and
wise; for you can not be else, and
write the lofty things you do
Warrington put the letter away.
placed It carefully among the few
things he held of value. 1t would not
be true TO say that 1t left him unaf-
fected. There was an innocent barb in
this girlish admiration. and It pierced
the quick Of all that was good In him.
Good and kind and wise," he unused.
IF only the child knew! Heigh-ho! I
am kind, sometimes I've been good, and
often wise. Well. can't disiilusion the
child, happily; she has given me no adj
dress"
He rose, wheeled his chair to a win
dow facing the street. and opened II.
The cool, fresh April air rushed in.
clearing the room Of its opalescent
clouds. cleansing his brain Of the fever
that beset II. He leaned with his elbow
on the sill and breathed noisily. CRATE
fully.