The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-04-04
MEMORY HELD HIM
And His Reverie Took Him Back
to a Parkway Country
Home.
BY RlcHARD POST.

1t was a full half hour after the cur
tain rose when Travis saw her Even
then he was doubtful. In the maze
Of pretty girls who weaved through
the intricate and bewildering combina-
tions of dances and marches on the
stage he could not be certain that the
slight, girlish figure was Cecile Ray
mond. Now the chorus formed in
billowy line Of white and surged for
ward like foam-crested wave to the
footlights. The girl he watched was
third from the end in the second line
and the young man could not distin-
guish her features.
"A very commonplace chorus" Miss
Davis commented to her escort. as the
curtain fell.
Il thought that little brunette near
the end in the second row was. we'll
quite pretty" he ventured
Miss Lorene Davis glanced at him
sharply. TITS all a matter of opinion
of course" she replied, acridly. "As
for myself, haven't seen ever a pass
ably good-looking woman on the stage
tonight"
But Ralph Davis was paying scant
attention to her remarks. For a mo.
ment memory held him. Was 1t Cecile
Raymond? Could 1t be she?
why not?" he asked himself bit
terly. who knows where she went or
how far may have fallen since she
slipped away from Lancaster two
years ago? Then Cecile wished to be
grand opera star" He smiled with
synicism beyond his years. They
so often end up in the chorus-it may
be after ALL" he concluded
''If She" and then his honesty Of
thought drove back the reproaches he
started to heap upon Cecile. mo. It
was my fault, just mine." he admitted.
- was too ambitious, didn't dare to
ask her when had little to offer Ce-
cile on her part was impatient and
went away to make a name for her
SELF 1t was all my fault" he repeated.
unconscious that he spoke aloud.
What's your fault?" Miss Davis ask
ed, turning wondering glance upon
him.
Ralph came out Of his reverie sud-
denly. That didn't bring a box of
candy for you" he replied with quick
self-possessien. He hailed boy and
bought an expensive two-pound pack
age.
For an instant Travis eyes rested
on the woman at his side Superbly
gowned, Miss Davis possessed a regu-
lar If somewhat colorless beauty. Her
good breeding showed itself in every
line of her face and II there was a
certain hardness in her features, too
much of steely glitter in the pale
blue eyes, the amount of her fathers
fortune atoned for any deficiencies.
Certainly, Travis, two years before a
nobody and now only rising young
man, perhaps undeservedly credited
with two engineering triumphs, should
thank his stars of fortune that 1t was
he who was favored to sit at Miss
Divis' side.
Travis knew well that In the next
box was Edgerton Green, contender
for the hand of the girl who that eve.
ming favored Ralph with her smiles.
To be In his place the young man
doubted not that Green would have
given all he possessed. Certainly"
Travis reflected. Il SHOULD consider
myself lucky
But strangely enough he was dis
satisfied. The girl was probably not
Cecile. Even If she were. what was
she to him7
Two years on the stage. In the bal
lett With his somewhat austere train
ing he shuddered to think what her
life must have BEEN No; If the dancer
should prove to be Cecile. she held
no interest for him.
Yet. when the curtain rose. he for
s.,-~~~-~~~~~~>e~~-~~~~>s