The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-02-16
CHAPTER xl.-continued.

Yes" she accepted, "out of sight OF
Blairtown and everybody | ever knew.
went away the next day" She lifted
4 her glass of champagne to her lips.
B 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
soda once" She drained her glass
and her friends drank with her Il
4 like this soup awfrlly. What is tip
4 just touching it with her spoon
a Why Ruggles fastened to tell
a her, 1T amt party soup, it's Scotch
broth. But somehow 1t sounded good
on the bill of fare. fixed the rest
of the dirner up for you and Dan, but
let myself go on the soup, it's my
favorite."
She did not eat il, however, al
) though she said it was splendid and
that she was crazy about it,
did you come East them" 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 it," he exclaimed
Il never heard a word about you un-
til | heard you sing the other night"
The actress laughed and told him
that he had made up for lost time,
and that he was a regular sitter"
now at the Gaiety.
Ruggles said, He took me every
night to see you dance until baked.
Miss Lane"
Still. it's perfectly great show,
Mr.. Ruggles. don't you think so? /
like it better than any part | ever
had. am interested about 1t for
the sake of the man who wrote 1t, too
It's his first opera; he's an invalid and
has wife and FIVE kids to look after"
And Ruggles replied. "Oh, gracious!
feel better than ever, having gone
ten times. although J 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 a
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 of
the play" Lefty Lane went on. He's
him in a 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 a 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.
fectly 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
nh hi
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
4 tress' reputation was the property OF
the public
y AS Ruggles repeated these things to
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 neal
and so approachable. His sights Of
her off the stage had been so slight
and fleeting. 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 a white
rose. Low in the nape of her neck
her golden hair lay lightly, and from
its soft masses fragrance came to him
RuggIes could hear her say: Roach