The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-05-23
HIS UNKNOWN RIVAL
BY LOUIS e. CHARLTON.

two in spangled garments behind gilt
tering lights, and then went into dark
ness and forgetfulness again. They
were only of the mob. They might
have died any day, either of them or
both, and the manager would merely
have written a letter, or nodded a
word, and hardly a soul in the next
nights audience would have known
that there had been a change in the
chorus.
And yet these two of the chorus
were set far above the common lot OF
mummers and onlookers alike. They
were lovers. When the opera demand
ed that they sing the chorus of
drinking song, the eyes of these two
met and drank to each other the in
toxicating song of silent love. When
their hands met in some stately min
net or may peasant dance, the thrill
of shrinking, fearfully sweet pleasure
touched them both. The people be-
yond the footlights saw none of these
things. Every night he waited until
she came from the big dressing rooms.
he opened the door of the stage en-
trance to let her pass out. and with a
smile and tender adieu. she was gone
into world he knew not. Several
times he had tried, when it had been
fierce weather, to accompany her to
her home, to lend her aid, protection,
but no. she had always gently declined
these offers, and so they both came
| nightly out of the unknown, danced
awhile in the light of love that new
er spoke, and went out again into the
unknown.
But one night he was waiting for
her sooner than usual. Eager and
trembling he waited for her coming.
He held out his hands to her. She
hardly knew why, but she took them
in her own and looked into his face
wistfully. well" she said timidly.
'Oh. Fam" he said, you know what
l mean. I love you. that's all. Long
ago l told you with my deeds, and
you understood But that is not
enough. Now, Fan, must know Will
you be my wife? Strange is it not.
that I hardly dared ask before?"
Pain crept into her face as she list
ened-pain that struggled with joy.
YES" she said in low agitated
tones. 81 knew that you loved me. I
knew-and-I loved you, too-dear.
love you now-but-I cannot marry
you'll cannot"
Her head dropped upon his breast
and she sobbed softly. Then she held
herself erect and wiped away the tears
| quickly. you understand" she said
DULY, insistently-"I cannot marry
you"
An awful thought came to him as
she spoke. Could it be that she was
| already married-belonging to anoth-
er? How should he have known? Had
she not always gone into the unknown
and forbidden him to follow? And
there came to his lips that cry OF
| thousands like him, thousands of low
ers in whom a sudden jealousy creates
frightful monomania of suspician.
"Ah, then there is-somebody elseI"
| Why is it that lovers always think
that because they are not chosen some
one else must needs be? Is there no
such thing as woman who refuses to
love simply from Discrimination, in
stead of from previous exhaustion of
the sentiment?
But in this case the girl nodded her
head and said:
Yes, there is somebody else"
Then why" he retorted, with quick
anger evolved from his passive grief,
did you not tell me so before-with
your eyes? Why did they always say
Yes if your lips were to say Mop
You are cruel. How is it possible?
And he-who is he? All, well, what
does it matter? You have turned my
day into night. l will go away into
it."
He turned to go, but her hand was
on his sleeve
Stop" she said Come with me.
I will show you the somebody else.
And it is you who are cruel Do not
say that l love you? Come"
Thus for the first time he accompa-
MED her into what was to be no more
the unknown.
They reached the house at last She
opened the door and beckoned him to
follow her. In the dim, shabby room,
he saw a figure lying on the bed, a
wasted, shrunken figure that breathed
heavily
This" she said, 'is my mother.
She is dying inch by inch of a vast
ing disease. Every moment that is
not spent at the theater must devote
to her Every thought of mine must
be for her and her comfort. She, she
has SO little left of life. Would you
have me deprive her of the care she
needs"
A lump came into the mans throat
and seemed to wish to stick there for
ever. He choked little hoarsely, and
when he had found his voice, asked:
And is this-the somebody else?'
She nodded, and turned to the bed,
but the visitor picked her up in his
arms suddenly and covered her face
with kisses.
you are an angel on the stage and