The Lamar register., 1913-04-23
HIS UNKNOWN RIVAL
Dy LOUIS E.. CHARLTON.

They were both in the chorus. Every
night they sang love ballads and non
sense rhymes; flashed for an hour OF
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 OF
both. and the manager would merely
have written . letter, or nodded .
word, and hardly soul in the next
nights audience would have known
that there had been q 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
Cd that they sing the chorus Of a
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.
uet 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
smile and tender adieu. she was gone
into . world he knew not. Several
times he had tried. when 1t had been
fierce weather, to accompany her to
her home. to lend her aid. protection.
but no. she had always gently declined
these ofIers. and SO they both came
nightly out Of the unknown. danced
awhile in the light Of love that nov.
Or 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, Fan" he said. you know what
I mean. I love you. that's all. Long
ago I told you with my deeds. and
you understood. But that IL not
enough. Now. Fan. I must know. VIII
you be my wife? Strange IL It not.
tu8t ! oAIuly o1Ioo eoA ooAoEci
Pain crspt into her face a. she list
snsd-pain that struggled with Joy.
Yea" she said in low asitated
tones, 'T knew that you loved mo. !
knsw-and-I loved you. too-dsar. ]
love you now-but-I cannot marry
you- cannot"
= Her bad dropped upon his breast
and she sobbed softly. Then she held
herself erect and wiped away the tears
Quickiy. You understand" she said
duly. insistently-T cannot mazTy
yoa."
An awful thought came to him -
she spoke Could It be that she was
already Observation-Disclosures to anoth.
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 . sudden Jealousy creates
. frightful monomania Of suspician.
"Ah, then there is-somebody else!"
Why 10 It that lovers always think
that because they are not chosen some
one else must needs be? II there no
such thing rs = woman who refuses to
love simply from disinclination. in
stead Of from q 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 II your lips were to say Nor
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. I will go away into
IT,"
He turned to go. but her hand was
on his sleeve.
STOP" she said. Come with me.
I VIII show you the somebody else.
And 1t is you who are cruel. Do I not
say that 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 q figure lying on the bed. q
wasted, shrunken figure that breathed
heavily.