El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-31
(By Margaret Carter.)
- A LII alone, Peggy?"
~ Madge Eldridge smiled
L ~

- A LII alone, Peggy?'
"A Madge Eldridge smiled
L u kindly at the tall figure fill
ing up the doorway of her dressing
room. Women generally smiled kind
Iy" at Rolfe Grahame.
Quite aloneT she laughed. Come
in. Rolfe. I wonder how long 1t viii
be before I hear the dear name of
Peggy again-and what my naue al
the next play will be-"
Rolfe seated himself astride rhe
I cheap little wooden chair that Was The
only resting place the dressing room
afforded.
You will always be Peggy u me.
Do you know I've come to the cOnClu-
sion that when one plays night after
night part that one is fond If, with
a person one-well, with a person one
doesn't exactly hate, one forms ties
that on the last night of a run are
deuced hard to break"
Rolfe crossed his arms over the back
of the chair and leaned forward,
dressed as the typical cowboy of
melodrama, he look the picture of
virile manhood.
4 have a contract here" Madge in
Dictated the envelope she had just laid
aside. You see. it all depends on
Jack. 1 don't know yet what to do.
He will know his pans definitely to-
day, and If he gets the partnership I
lOlu you OF. IneTe Is some TAX OF MS
exchanging with the American man
ager for six months.
America VIII you go. toO?"
"Oh, yes. expect TO. I don't think
Jack would care to go alone"
A very tender smile fitted over
Madge Eldridge's charming face. a
tender. womanly smile, yet limiting at
hidden depths of passion. which Rolfe
knew well enough existed for one man
only, and that man her husband
rTR1-, q L Hla r-a,a
He has it ALL, Peggy dear; this is our
real goodbye Even now your thoughts
are all for him: you've forgotten the
company-your part all of US. already.
say 'goodbye?"
"Of course I will, silly boy" she
touched him lightly on the forehead
with her lips
Grahame. Never in her life had Madge
seen quite the look in any mans eyes
that she now saw leap into ROlfe's.
1t was a flame. passion, raw and IN
ashamed.
Some force utterly beyond her con-
troll responded, drawing her slowly to-
ward him.
Peggy" he breathed. Just this one,
dear" and his lips closed on hers. 4
second after-or was it a century-and
he released her.
He guessed who it was standing be-
tween him and the doorway before
Madge's cry of Jack told him The
joy in her voice dying before the look
in her husbands face.
Jack Eldridge stood aside in stern,
uncompromising silence, motioning TO
the younger man to pass from the
room.
Jack, let me explain. I didn't ex-
pect-"
TO, can see that. I can see that
I was not expected Eldridge laughed
harshly. Explain, oh yes, l dare say
you can explain Women, they say,
can explain anything" Then he burst
How can you explain? I saw-with
my own eyes, 1 saw you. I find you
here in another mans arms-kissingr
He broke off with rasping sound in
his throat. Pulling himself together
with an effort, he continued in a dull,
monotonous tone, that hurt Madge in
definitely more than his rage.
I've got that appointment I just
came off posthaste to tell you myself
I'm off to New York this week end. I
can't tell you now. 1 can't explain, I
I'm upset. I'll discuss it in the morn
ing"
THE morning, Jack. where are you
going? What are you going to do to-
night Jack?"
Jack pushed his wife fiercely aside.
as she would have touched him with
oUtstretched arms.
"A-don't touch me! I'll see you in
IL iiiOA nm LOAli 5HI must De d4One-
The interview in the morning was
not a success. John EIdridge was
Puritanical almost Calvinistic in his
code Of morals.
Madge realized that, for the present.
she must stand aside and bear her
punishment as best she could, in 81
lence. Her dreams of the day before
were over, slain by her own act, and
that act almost an unconscious one.
With an aching heart she posted off
the sighted contract. and prepared to
face again the old routine of the
theater.
L love you, DEAR" she wrote, I shall
always love you. l know now that
YOU can't understand me, and 1 don't
know how to explain things. 1t was
not really the man ] kissed last night
1t was, I suppose, the woman in me
responded to the man in him. I was
full of thought of love for you and