The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-03-21
CHAPTER x.-contlnued.

SflAf En- AI.-COnIINueO,
Yes" she accepted "out of sight of
Blafrtown and everybody ever knew
went away the next day" She lifted
her glass of champagne to her lips.
Here's one thing | oughtn't to do"
she said, but I'm going to just the
same. I'm going to do everything
want this evening Remember, let
you drink six glasses of chocolate
soda once" She drained her glass
and her friends drank with her. Il
like this soup awfrlly. What is it?"-
just touching it with her spoon
Why" Ruggles hastened to tell
her. 1T amt party soup. it's Scotch
broth. But somehow it sounded good
on the bill of fare. / fixed the rest
Of the dinner up for you and Dan, but
let myself go on the soup, it's my
tavorite'
She did not eat it, however, al
though she said It was splendid and
that she was crazy about it.
did you come East then?" Dan re-
turned to what she had been saying.
Yes. that week; went to Paris and
all over the place"
She instantly fell into a sort OF
melancholy. 1t was easy to be seen
that she did not want to talk about
her past and yet that 1t fascinated
her.
Just think Of 1T" he exclaimed.
eJ ppvpr hoard q uord about -. =.
til ! heard yo1 sing the other night"
The actress laughed and told hin
that he had made up for lost time.
and that. he was regular sitter"
now at the Gniety.
Ruggles said, He took me every
night to see you dance until baked,
Miss Lane"
Still. it's a perfectly great show,
Mr.. Ruggles. don't you think so?
like 1t better than any part ever
had. am interested about it for
the sake OF The man who wrote it, too
Its his first opera; he's an invalid and
has wife and five kids to look after"
And Ruggles replied, sob, gracious.
feel better than ever, having gone
ten times, although wasn't very sore
about it before! Amt you going to
eat anything?"
She only picked at her food, drink
ing what they poured in her glass,
and every time she spoke to Dan
look OF charming kindness crossed her
face. an expression of good fellow
ship which Ruggles noted with inter-
est.
Il wish you could have seen this
same author today at the rehearsal or
the play" Lefty Lane went on. He's
too i'll to walk and they had to carry
him In chair. We all went round to
his apartments after the theater. He
lives In three rooms with his whole
family and he's had so many debts
and SO much trouble and such poor
contract that he hasn't made much
out OF "Mandalay," but guess he will
out Of this new piece. He Rugged and
kissed me until | thought he would
break my neck"
London had gone mad over Lefty
Lane, whose traits and contour were
the admiration Of the world at large
and well-known even to the news
boys. and whose likeness was nearly
as familiar as that of the Madonnas
of old. Her face was oval and per-
fectiy formed. with the reddest of
mouths-the most delicious and soft
est OF mouths-the line of her brows
clear and straight, and her gray eyes
large and as innocent and appealing
as child's; under their long lashes
they opened up like flowers. 1t was
said that no man could withstand their
appeal; that she had but to look to
make man her slave; and as more
than once she turned to Dan, smiling
and gracious, Ruggles watched her,
mutely thinking of what he had heard
this day. for after her letter came
accepting their invitation he had
taken pains to find OUT the things he
wanted to know. 1t had not been
difficult AS her face and form were
public. on every postcard and in
every photographers shop. SO the &C
tress' reputation was the property OF
the public.
40 1Su6eASo AOpCotCu tAGS6 LulA6o W
himself, he watched her beside the
son of his old friend They were talk
ing-rather she was-and behind the
orchids and the ferns her voice was
sweet and enthralling. Ruggles tried
to appreciate his bill of fare while the
two appreciated each other 1t was
strange to Dan to have her so near
and SO approachable. His sights of
her on the stage had been so slight
and fieeting. On the boards she had
seemed to be an unreal creation made
for the public alone. Her dress. cut
fearlessly low. displayed her lovely
young bosom-soft, bloomy. white as
a shetland her head and ears were
as delicate as the petals OF white
rose Low in the nape OF her neck
her golden hair lay lightly, and from
its soft masses fragrance came to him
Rdgglex could hear her say: Roach