The Press., 1911-02-15

.1 should be patient. Clara, if the situ- alton brought contentment to any one. I have been away a year"
 ''It should have been forever"
 HE.
 Cant you see, Clara, that a stronger hand than ours directs it?'
 SHE
 gro what end, to what good?"
 "I.et us obey and see. It Is fatei''
 The old man had been watching them grimly as he smoked his ciga- rette. When their backs were turned to him he arose and quietly left the room.
 ''K know you love me and have given me faith again and ambition and ideas and endurance"
 Holcomb turned and looked and saw Vavin moving into the other room.
 Dora" he whispered earnestly, "don't let us make great mistake. Don't think that it is the failure of this play that has made me Respondent"
 
 girl answered.
 "No, they are mine, and they are more than real," he replied. "'It's up to you, and if you don't lose faith in me I will write something some day that you will be proud of. Do say that you love me-" he pleaded as he drew her toward him closer. "I have been so sorry, Willard, for you. Tbe way the papers treated you was simply awful.'
 'They can do that again and again, '' he replied, ''if it will only make you"- Vavin's step was heard returning.
 Say that you love me. It's in the part, you know, Dora"
 q do," answered the girl.
 "A little louder, mes enfants," said Vavin as he entered the room. "You are playing the scene too 'sotto voce. You must excuse me-" he said, when they both laughed guiltily. II was called to the other room by the tele- phone. But you see, don't you, that the moonlight is betterp'
 "Oh, it is wonderfully so," said Dora
 "NoW, all these changes" said Vavin as he turned up the lights in the room "cap be made in one day. You will let me help you, will you notH'' turning to HolcOmb.
 "You have helped me now, sir, more than I can tell you." "Perhaps," replied the old man, 'it is not necessary, my friend. Tomorrow we will call a rehearsal for the after noon, One more favor would like tc ask of you, MT. Holcomb. had in tended to go home with mademoiselle as her escort. l find, however, that there is a gentleman waiting down May I imposeY
 Holcomb shook him warmly by the hand. and as he helped Dora on with her coat she whispered to her bene' factor:
 You like him, don't you? Isn't he simply wonderfully
 "He is very wonderful man with out doubt" was the dry response, and as he closed the door after them he shook his head and repeated ironically "he is indeed very wonderful man." It was a happy moment for Jules Vavin. With all his intellect and his irony he was still a sentimentalist There was still much in him of the poet lad who had come up to Paris years before with his bundle of verses under his arm.
 But there was more than sentiment in the little comedy that he had enact ed tonight. There was a climax, as he thought, to a life tragedy-a trag- edy that even his intimates knew lit tie about, for after his first grand passion Jules Vavin had become a man extremely taciturn about his own personal affairs. He had been ready tonight to do more than play with these two lovers, and Dora Fullerton's happiness necessitated vigorous action. But happily neither had really sus- pected the depth of the old mans sym pathy and had lent themselves to his cunning in a way that made him most happy.
 "A wonderful man indeedv' he re- peated as he stood in the moonlight and contemplated the glass of wine in his hand.
 The servant, who had been with him for twenty years, discreetly moved about the room, putting out the lighta. "She is very like her mother, Henri" !" said the old man.
 every like her mother, monsieur" |" was the faithful servitor's reply.
 The dramatist was silent for a mo- ment; then, raising his glass as one who drank to the heavens:
 ''It is droll God, Henri-a droll God, with his vintage and autumn, his chill dren and his harvest moon."
 "A droll God, monsieur" And Henri closed the door softly, leaving his mas ter alone with his thoughts and his q L.