The Washington herald., 1913-10-05
CHAPTER XXI-(Continued.)

instant. And do you like the piece!
| don't. It's silly. Mr.. Curran. | don't
think so much of the stage as l did.
Its all graft, and unless girl is very
lucky she won't get on unless Azure
lie paused-"unless she has the right
friends. But people have been mighty
good to me-"
Il suspect, Aurelie," murmured Mr..
Curran, you are mighty good to
them"
She gave Mr.. Curran a soulful enig-
matte glance. That's why l. like you,
Mr.. Cnrranl Just saying things like
thatp' She sighed: Harlan wouldn't
She looked at him with long reproach.
Harlan could not smile. He was be-
wildered trying to imagine where All
relic had acquired all these manners
and yet not overlaid her naturalness.
She dressed beautifully, yet with taste,
even with all her old vagabond love Of
colors. She made them live with
health. Conan & Snitz knew this i'm
press on the audiences. Pretty things
erS talked of Aurelie and the psychol-
ogy of dress, and Aurelie shuddered.
lie bon Dieu, did not psychology have
to do with ghosts?
She went on plaintively merry !:
Sometimes ] do get tired. Ada Nor
TIan says | haven't enough talent to go
on except my face. Just like lot OF
kids who've come up from the chorus
pretty soon I'll have to depend on
the masseurs, and grease paint won't
make up what | lose. Then zIng
says Ada" Aurelie looked thoughtfully
at them both. But You know | don't
care. I'm going to save my money
and have a cunning little place and
some babies. and go hunting rabbits
sometime with Uncle Mich in the
snow!'
That is large and brilliant pro-
gram, Aurclic!' Mr.. Curran had TO
laugh. Harlan'S smile came doggedly
at last. 1t was hara to resist her spir-
its. She was unSpoiled, but JOY had
been set free. In the hearts OF both
men had grown a miserable shame that
they had quarrclcd over Joe Benham
The gilded youth, and the blatent
press for Aurelie who was thinking OF
Old Michigan and tracking rabbits i'll
the snow.
She went on stabbing the town and
stage folk with a vivacious and heed
less wit. She asked of Rome, Iowa.
SO Harlan was in politics? What was
he running for? She couldn't renlem-
Der when she told the comedian whom
she had the date with tonight. She
had said her friend was running for
the penitentiary! And Mon Dleu. the
comedian had interpolated this i'll his
lines and broke her all up with laugh
ing. And the house didn't know, of
coursc-but it laughed with her!
Harlan listened. A Van Hart chuck
led at by a comedy man-and chucked
into his lines was exasperating-aS eN-
. lsperating as trying to be stern with
Aureliel She was bubbling with laugh
.er. District attorney! OF course!
Something long and important! | didn't
mean the penitentiary!
And She almost had the two men
laughing with her-almost Only the
desperate hurt was there. And not for
worlds would thew have mentioned Joe
Benham. Wiley looked triumphantly
across the table at Harlan. Right: OF
course he was right.
But why did you come, Mr.. Cur
ran? Just to see me-:
To give you this, Aurelie.' He drew
out the rosary, and her cry of Joy, the
quick rush of tears to her eyes was re-
ward She had the lost trinket to her
lips, to the amazenent of all the after
theater feeders.
The boys found it behind the clap
boards in your little white room"
oh, my little white room!'
It's Just as you left 1t. They keep
it waiting for you, Aurele."
And then she cried indeed amid the
cafe feeders. Wiley looked away. "A
child-just a child, Harlan he NUT
tered. and the other nodded.
They all love you. Even John
Your help and gifts and letters-why,
even sour old John couldn't get around
it allT
Il loved him. too-only he was too
religious for me-"
Mr.. Curran pointed at the rosary.
so you are, Aurelie. Or thinking Of
Uncle Mich and Peter and the baby
wouldn't make you cry-among this
sort of peoplei And this queer little
chain of yours. 1t must have been
YOUR mother's-and | know where it
came from"
Her eyes widened "My mothers?
Ies-ycs-but where?'
New Orleans. A crazy silversmith
on Chartres Street who thought he
was a genius. So he marked all his
rosaries and never made much else"
why, | had ii when l done come
up-river. When Captain Tinkletoes
stole ME! Uncle Michigan says he
thought was a boy when they stole
mel"
Il know Mich's old yarn. But this
rosary-I hate to show you-but-the
cross is gone.
She looked quickly at him. He so
understood what it would mean to her
And Harlan, watching the two, saw
what a common piece of sentiment they
were; the same Migrants of soul.
81 wouldn't say anything about il"
murmured Aurelie, only it was my
mothers. y And it's dreadful not to
have a nother-only Ada Norman and
a hairdresser" She left an arch sad
smile with Mr.. Curran. Sometimes,
I'd rather not be a homeless stray.
But | suppose people must go rafting
on in their harness and never do the
things they love. Sometimes, | get the
old longing to run of down-river with
Uncle Mich. And take you, Mr.. Cur
raHl'
Then she broke his enchantment with
her laughter. Harlan looks as if he
thought VEAL were perfectly crazy!
Well, suppose one can't. Some chap
r