The Washington times., 1913-03-24

| town tonight. And that is
why I've been locking for
you. Conforming to his custom, he's
giving an advance glimpse of the pro-
duction to the critics and a few friends
| in the form OF a final dress rehearsal
tonight. Again, in conformance with
his custom. he has honored me with a
box. I've been chasing you all day to
find out if you'd care to go with me-
Eight O'Clock and bit AFTER Whit
aker interrupted briskly, consulting his
| watch. Here, uoy," he hailed a pass
ing page. Call taxicab for me-" And
then, rising alertly: Come along. I've
got 10 hustle home and make myself
look respectable enough for the oc-
casion; but at that, With luck. l fancy
we'll he there Defore the first curtain"
This mood of faith, of self-reliancc
and assured optimism held unruffle1
throughout the dash homeward, his
hurried change Of clothing and the
ride TO the theater. Nothing that En-
ber purposely pessi:nistic, could say or
do, availed to decrease the high buoy
ancy of his humor. He maintained a
serene faith in his star, a spirited
temper that refused to recognize Oh
stacles in the way Of the attainment
of his desire.
In the taxlcab en- route 10 the thea,
ter Max he contrived 10 distill good
omen from the driving autumnaI
downpour itself.
The raIn-swept pavement. like black
moire silk, shot with a thousand strands
of golden brilliance: the painted bosom
of the lowering. heavy sky; the tear
irenched window pdnes; even the in
cessant crepitation on the roof of the
Scurrying, skidding cab seemed to lena
q color of assurance 10 his thoughts.
doubling friend. Il won her first II
such a day ] shall win her anew, finally
and for all time.
From Broadway 10 Sixth avenue,
Forty-sixth street was aglare with the
yellow glare of the huge sign that
swung from the facade OF the Theatcr
Max, repeating the announcements of
the billboards
But that night, unlike the other night
when he had approached the stage of
his wife's triumphs there was no crawl
ing rank of cabs. no eager and curious
press of people in the street: but few
vehicles disputed their way; otherwise
the rain and the hurryinE, raIn-coated
wayfarers had the thOrOughfare TO
themselves.
And even this h" chose to consider a
favorable augury: there was not now a
public to come between him and his
love-only Max and her frightened
fancy.
The man at the door recognized En-
her with a cheerful nod: Whitaker was
a stranger to him.
Just in time. Mr. Ember: curtains
been I'D about ten minutes"
The auditorium was I'm almost total
darkness. A single voice was audible
from the stage that confronted II like
some tremendous, moonlight canvas in
a huge frame of tarnished gold. They
stole silently round the orchestra seats |
to the stage boX-the same box that
Whitaker had on the former occasion !
occupied in company with Max.
They succeeded I'm taking their seats
without attracting attention, either from |
the owners of that scanty scattering of |
shirt bOsOms in the orchestra the ,.riti- !
ral fraternity and thos" intimateS bid
den by the manager TO the first glimpse /
OF his new revelation in stagecraft-or |
from those occupying the stage
The latter were but two. Evidently,
though the curtain had been uD Tor
some minutes. the action of the piece
had not yet been permitted TO begin to
unfold.
Whitaker gathered that Max had been