The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-10-24
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER
OF STUBBORN MILLlCENT
BY HARMONY WELLER.


dropping hat and frock Of palest
mauve; there was just a suggestion
of melancholy about Millicent that on
ly exaggerated her charm. To the
man standing near the ticket office
she seemed the embodiment Of all that
was lovely.
Millicent looked up and caught his
eyes fixed admiringly upon her and
the color famed into her cheeks. Her
fingers trembled slightly as she FUN
bled for her ticket -
A frown sped swfftiy across her
face. The ticket that she had taken
a month or SO ago was not ia her
bag
I'VE have been booked back for the
last six weeks" the man told her.
81 did 80 want to see the play" she
informed the man behind the window
As she turned to leave the foyer her
appealing eyes swept across space TO
the good-looking man whose gaze had
brought the color into her cheeks.
"If you care to take this seat will
be only too happy" he said in per
fectly impersonal tone
Mlllicent hesitated a second only
then In a hurried voice thanked him.
And you are not robbing yourself7"
she questioned
THE seat will go begging IL you do
not use it," the man said and gave her
the ticket
Millicent reached down into the
depths of her opera bag and brought
forth a two-dollar bill.
rs that right" she asked and did
not raise her eyes.
A dull red mounted even to the
mans temples He drew back swiftly
then as suddenly took the money.
Thank you. yes" He raised his hat
and Millicent went into the well-flled
theater
A moment before the curtain arose
she knew that he had come in and
that he was sitting beside her MILL
cent felt peculiarly aggrieyed that he
had not so much as looked at her.
She found herself losing interest in
the actors and watching every move
ment of the long. shapely hands of the
man. Occasionally she stole a sur.
repttious glance at his profile
The success of the play had come.
not through any hectic love affairs
with another mans wife or any great
financial crisis. 1t was merely pref
ty domestic drama told by well bal
anced, healthy minded people. There
were no scheming politicians and no
wan eyed herones.
The hero vas big and broad-minded
ard the girl he loved was sweet and
she Was not jealous nor catty when
her handsome lover danced with the
dark-eged Suzette.
Nlillicent felt suddenly very small
and insignificant and unloyed
1T is only play girls who are so sim.
pie minded" she argued with herself
She glanced at the man beside her
His eyes were following the girl on
the stage and Millicent fancied there
was more than the theater-goer's ad-
miration in his face. She bit her lips
to still their trembling and turned
again toward the stage.
Girls are not like that in real life,
she told herself vehemently
The curtain went down on the sec
ond act. The man beside Millicent
again went out and in her vivid mag
ination she pictured him as buying
great clusters of American beauties
and sending them to the stage heroine
She wished now that she had not
seen the play nor the man. Way down
in the depths of her nature something
had stirred. Was it the play or was il
the man beside her whose personality
seemed to have overpowered her?
Whatever it was Millicent waited
with rapidly beating heart for his re
turn.
The light went down and she began
to think he was not coming.
How perfectly ridiculous and silly
of me to feel this way" She laughed
gcornfully at herself and ended With
wistful eyes
Against her will she turned toward
the back of the theater. Yes he was
standing there A moment later he
came down and took his seat beside
her.
The last act was drawing 70 a close
when resolution suddenly became ap.
parent in Millicent. The color crept
slowly Up to the shadows beneath her
eyes ard her lips smiled.
With very gentle almost unfelt
movement she leaned nearer the big
RAN and slipped her hand through his
crm A sudden hungry little jerk was
al the reward her efforts brought
forth. He did not turn his head hat
,Iillicent watched his jaw set. \ mo.
ment later her fingers closed over the
ing that daneled from mis- watch
chain.
Still the man remained as if carved
in stone.
Millicent struggled softly with the
clasp TIT hold tight to the chain and
finally tie ring MAS in her own hands
The big diamond flashed in the mi
darkness OF the theater and MilHcent
drew a long breat9 of contentment.
She looked lovingly at the ring for a
moment then up into the big mans
face. Her voice was only a whisper
billy dear-I want my ring back
20 Won still love mo ~" In tbot 1ttla