The Washington herald., 1913-03-23

4 NIJf7io = ENIHANI MEM ==]

So much depended on every ones utte
lack of nervousness and embarrassment
that Shaw. the stage manager. decides
my presence at the final rehearsa
would only add to the tension. and wa
therefore unnecessary. The STAR com
planned that her efforts to interpret m!
lines to my satisfaction were wearing
her thin, while the Leading man" de
clared that he could not enter natural!
into the spirit Of the comedy so lont
as he knew I was watching from acros
the front
To tell the truth, I was not unagree
able. There were many things I want
ed to change, and ! knew that il
once got headway I should have to writ
the play all over, and that was no
in the contract. My room was bettel
than my company. So Shaw gave mi
a card to The Players and left me
there in the care Of distinguished Tel
low-dramatist.
We had a capital dinner. and our ex
change of experiences would have mad'
a book equal in length to Revelation
In spite of the good dinner and ths
interesting conversation, I found my
self glancing constantly at my watcf
or at the clock, thinking that at such
and such a time tomorrow night my
puppets would be uttering such and sucf
a line, perhaps as I wanted them tc
utter it. perhaps as they wanted to
utter it 1t did not matter that l hac
written two successful novels and q
popular comedy: 1 was still subject to
spells of diffidence and greenness. Much
affOrf- n
or it was not. to establish me in New
York as a playwright of the first order
/ played a game Of billiards indtner-
emily well. peered into Booths room
and evoked his kindly spirit to watch
over my future. smoked incessantly, and
waited impatiently for Shaw's promised
telephone call. The call came at 1880.
and Shaw said that three acts had gone
of superbly and that everything pointed
to a big success. All at once 1 deter
mined to run uptown to the theater and
steal in to see the last act. So I called
for my hat and coat, apologized to my
friend and went forth into the night
and romance,
Grammercy Park is always still at night
quiet even in the very heart of turmoil.
Only an indefinable murmur drifted over
from the crowded life of Broadway. l
was coming some lines ] thought fine,
epigrams and fragramentary philosophy.
Hurry. We have only half an hourt
The voice, soft and musical. broke the
silence ere my foot had left the last
step. Amazed, / looked in the direction
whence came this symphony of vocal
allurment. A handsome coupe. with
groom and footman. stood at the curb.
A woman in evening gown leaned out
] stopped and stared. The 'footman at
the door touched his hat. I gazed over
my shoulder to see if any one had come
out of the club at the same time that
! had. ! was alone.
Hurry, I have waited at least half
an hour. We haven't a moment to
waste"
Some one in the upper rooms of the
club lifted shade to open a window
and the light illuminated her features.
She was young and very handsome. A
French wit once said that the whis-
per of n beautiful woman can be heard
farther than the loudest call of duty.
Now. ! honestly confess that IL she
had been homely, or even moderately
good-looking, l should have politely ex-
planned to her that she had made a pecu-
lair mistake. i was somebody else. AS
it was. with scarce any hesitation, /
stepped into the Garage, and the foot
man closed the door. To this day ! can
IDt dHdlN Zt lHt IipulSt llldl icu Iuc
into that carriage: Fate in the guise
of mischief. Destiny in motley and out
for a lark. l know not which, nor care.
Il am sorry TO have kept you wait
ing" said !.
Il thought you would never come"
she answered.
Thought l would never come? ! was
silent because l had nothing to say.
One after another they came out.
thought you would never, never come. l
had all l could do to keep from going
into the club after you.' She tore off
her long. white gloves and flung them
gely. / thoughD into her lap.
Going into the club after me? Heavens,
What a scandal had escaped What the
deuce was it all about, anyway? Who
was /? What was expected Of me? My
nerve lost a particle of its strength. but
l could not back out now. 1t was too
late. i was in for some sort of excite
ment. had always been skeptical about
mistaken identity. This was to be my
conversion.
You will forgive me, know, for wait
ing outside a club for you" She snuggled
over to her side of the carriage.
Yes. i will" 1 replied with alacrity.
Who wouldn't forgive her? l moved
closer
The blue light of the arc lamps flashed
into the window at frequent intervals.
Each time I noted her face as best
could. 1t was as beautifully cut as
Cellini cameo and as pale as ivory under
friction.
1T is all so terrible"' Her voice was
tense; there was a note of agony in it
that was real She was balling her hand
kerchief, and l could see that her fingers
were long and white and without jewels.
though 1 caught the intermittent glimmer
of a fine necklace circling an adorable
throat. What a fine chance for a rascal!
/ wondered if she would have me ar
rested when she found out? Was 1 mar
ried, single. a brother. a near friend?
What the deuce was her trouble? Ought
! TO kiss her? My double was a for
tunate duffer. How envied him.
Women are SO silly sometimes. I do
not know why I was dragged into this"
She said.
Dragged into what? Had a crime been
committed. or had some one run away
with another mans wife? Heavens! We
might be eloping and / not know any
thing about it. l shivered. not with
fear, but with strange elaton.
How could I have done it? How could
/? Terrible!''
'It must be- admitted readily. No,
a woman does not elope in her BAH
gown. Perhaps We were going after the
trunks.
ITO think that he would force me into
a thing like this."-vehemently.
Il see that there is nothing left for
me to do but to punch his head" /
thought was getting on famously.
She gave me a swift. furious glance.
"Oh, I am brave enough" said I.
wondered If she had noticed that I was
a passably good looking man. as men
go.