Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-04-06
y LORD
. HOMELAND
CHAPTER X.-CoNr1NuED

of being murdered. and as the moment
came when he would have to make his
first speech his blood was beating like
a drum in his temples. His throat felt
dry, and when his cue to speak was
given by Jacobus with meaning en-
phasis he could only swallow and glare.
Not a word of the carefully rehearsed
part could he remember, and, inyolun-
tarily looking out in front, q thing Ed
Binney had warned him not to do, it
seemed as if the rows of faces down
below the yellow footlights were leap
ing up at him like a wave.
Just as Jacobus bent over him, fran
ttcally glaring, ready to prompt and
swear at the same time, Loveland's
frozen hesitation melted into words and
gestures, the right words, the right ges-
lures. Jacobus sighed a great sigh Of
thanksgiving, and Val delivered his
curse with a transport Of zeal. He was
half frightened at his own explosive
ness, but the audience enjoyed it, and
when the curtain went down upon his
death there was a round Of applause.
Though dead as Dave, it was his
business to rise again in the third act
as a young man Of fashion-a youthful
butterfly from an ancient chrySaliS-
and, drunk with the sweet draft of tri-
umph, he made the change gayly, as
happy for the moment as if he were
playing before an audience of kings
and queens.
He had dressed md was lurking in
the wings again, watching with some
interest the arrest of the leading man
for his (Loveland's) murder on false
evidence snakily given by Ed Binney.
when Miss de Lisle fitted noiselessly
up, very insufficiently disguised as a
boy.
81 suppose you do remember that
you're a young English Lord" she
whispered anxiously.
Loveland started and stared. Had
she found him out?
"In your next scene," she explained.
"Oh," said Loveland, relieved. IAN
I-er-a lord?"
eyes. Didn't Jacobus tell you? But
perhaps he thought it didn't matter"
IL uOcSu SeeLl W, IelOiCeu Vail
smiling family at his own hidden
meaning.
you're supposed to be the son Of
the Duke of Highgate. Pa Winters
the duke, you know. Of course,
though. you haven't seen the whole
play yet. only your own scenes, so
you can't keep track of everything.
You have only to walk on. or, rather,
waltz on with Miss Moon, you know.
And when she goes off and l come on
in girls clothes again you must say,
THE next is mine, I believe with an
English drawl. But the parts down
on the program as Lord William
Vane.'"
"By Jove! I know Willy Vane. He's
in the Black Wa began Loveland,
but he bit his lip and broke of
abruptly.
1.-THE human flower laughed. II
don't suppose your friends a lord,
though"
Loveland did not reply as the choice
lay between a fb and an affirmative.
"You ought to know how lords be-
have more than any Of u.s." vent on
the girl, "as you're an Englishman.
I suppose you've seer some?"
Eyes, a few" said Val cautiously.
Were they very haughty?"
"Not all Of them"
well, as you've seen them you'll
know just how to act, and you look
real swell. Perhaps you'd rather
watch Jack Jacobus' big scene thar
talk to me. T have to go. anyhow. in
about four minutes"
It'd rather. talk to you than watch if
you'll let me because I have a message
for you from an old friend Of yours
that I've been wanting to tell you all
day" Loveland began hastily, not to
waste one Of the four minutes. II
wonder if you remember him-Bn Will.
ing"
"Bill Willing-a friend Of yours?'
The girl spoke sharply in her surprise.
The you haven't forgotten him."
Forgotten him? 1 never will to my
dying day"
Her voice quivered a little, for, like
most actresses of her type, her emo.
lions were as easily played upon as
harp strings.
"Those are almost the words he used
about you," said Loveland, interested
in Lilies part Of the broken love mel
ody as he had been in Bills, "only his
We're stronger"
what were they-exactly?"
Shall / tell you really?"
Yes; quick. quick"
HE said he always had loved you
and always would love you till his dy-
ing day"
"Oh!" Lille de Lisle gulped down a
small sob. II thought he'd forgotten
all about me long. long ago. He never
wrote"
mo; he told me he didn't dare, or
something like that. but he couldn't
resist sending a message by me-"
IF you knew what 1t ID to me to
hear from him again! How In the
world did you meet himT'