The Press., 1911-01-11

before seemed now illuminated and en- larged. Through all of this irritating conversation she was calm, but once in awhile a glance of the eye or a sympathetic reach across the table made him understand how much she wished to get away from the overde- veloped puritan6al instinct
 The men fingered to finish their ci- gars, while Mrs. winthrop, Dora and Aunt Cornelia went out on the terrace. "You can't explain it, Dora" snapped Aunt Cornelia the moment they were in the open air. "It is simply your I innate bad mannersw
 "Explain whatP' asked Dora.
 "You know very well," answered her aunt. "You spoke French at the din- ner table at every possible opportu- nifty. There is no greater piece of i'm politeness than to speak a foreign lan- guage in the presence of a third per- son who doesn't understand It."
 "I only replied" answered the girl, 'sto the questions which M. Vavin put to me-
 "Yes,'' pursued the New England spinster, "but you replied in French"
 "But that is not so immoral" sug- gested Mrs. Winthrop, "as your tone would seem>to indicate"
 "Papa spoke in French" added Dora, land so did Judge Elliott With the final statement that she was not responsible either for the manners or the morals of Judge FL lfoGt, Professor Fullerton's sister open IE. rf nf O%f gather that you were all talking about the theater."
 Dora nodded. for her patience was getting very near the point of where she felt she would hardly be able to control herself.
 "Does NJ. vavin approve of your ex- ploitsY'
 ''I don't know replied Dora drear- fly and then took up with Mrs. Win throp the matters of small social mo- ment that she knew would interest and absorb that lady and bring her to | the rescue.
 Aunt Cornelia, however, refused to be thus put aside.
 'Did you notice how badly my broth CT looked tonightY' she asked at the first opportunity she had to regain the conversational bone.
 "I thought he looked all right" said Mrs. Winthrop.
 "I never saw him look so worried, 2 persisted the elder Miss Fullerton. ''You know we had to go through the same thing with Dora's mother. I really do not see why it is Dora can not settle down and be a decent wom- an."
 'I shall be decent woman, Aunt Cornelia, even in the theater," replied the girl hotly and, fearing that the scene would become even more dis agreeable, started for the house as her sfectionate relative fired after her:
 That's what your mother said.'
 In the meantime Fullerton had put frankly to HoIcomb his reasons for asking him to be his guest.
 "I have asked he said as they sat about the table, Judge Elliott's ad- vice about Dora's wish to play in your drama. I am little afraid that have not the influence with my daughter which I should have, although I have q great deal of affection for her and she has for me. M. Vavin you know, and before Judge Elliott we can speak freely as he is an old friend and my attorney"
 Holcomb eyed the three with grim humor. With the exception of Vavin, who would, he felt, at least have sym pathy with his ambitions and inten- tions, he knew here was opposition, in- nate as well as developed. The little ruddy faced lawyer, with his small, sharp eyes, his years of good living marked in every lineament, showed an almost professional antipathy for the stage in the very suavity with which he expressed interest in Holcomb's work
 ''Is it not rather unusual" said Judge Elliott, some of the suavity going out of his voice and the tone of the cross examiner coming into it, flor a girl of Miss Fullerton's inexperience to be of fered what in your business you call stellar honors?"
 Tt is," replied Holcomb.
 "And yet you say that you do not think your play would succeed with out Miss Fullerton in it," continued the judge. "Why not some actress of great ability, of great experience. of great reputation?"
 Holcomb laughed.
 "Not every person who goes to law, judge, has been able to avail himself of your services. has he? We'll, 1t is the same way with us. The man. ager is going to put on my play. but he will not pay for the woman of established reputation that you sug- gest. The very question of salary that he would pay the leading woman has been q matter of dispute. I could have had a production before, but the wo- man who was suggested for the lead ing part, though the manager was willing to give her three times the salary he would pay Miss Fullerton. would have killed the play before the curtain went up. The heroine in my play is a woman of culture, education. sensibility, strength and temperament. pictured such woman before l had the honor of knowing Miss Fullerton. but as watched her play during those two weeks of one night stands she full filled the picture in every detail. In a way I rewrote my play, during those two weeks, for she suggested to me great many things that had sensed, but that had not actually known"
 You have no sisters" said Judge Elliott. with self satisfied intuition, while Professor Fullerton nodded ap- provingly at the point that he per ceived the judge was making.
 "On the contrary" said Hocomb, with smile, ''I have three" And at this NJ. Vavin, who had sat back en- toying the scene with Mephistophelean humor, laughed loudly.
 They're on the stage" asked the judge.