Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-08-01

 about him appealingly, then his eyes signaled to the man who controlled the curtain. It began to descend with quiet deliberation. Merry paused for e moment. then he came back.
 Ladies and gentlemen" he began. "I had hoped"
 While Wentworth stood listening he wondered why the descent of the cur tain did not stop. He turned and whis- pered a command to the stagehand who stood beside him. The mans face was deathly white, he looked para lyZed with terror. In second Enoch realized that something in the ma chinery had lost it's grip. The house had grown still, while Merry stood smiling and talking in his nonchalant fashion. A young man with a gleam. ing expanse of shirt front rose from a lower box and set his foot upon the railing, preparing to climb over to the stage. A woman stood beside him clasping her hands and staring at Merry with horror-stricken eyes. Her face grew as white as the lace robe she wore. Then she shrieked, long, shivering cry of terror Enoch sprang toward the footlights with one swift leap, holding his arm over his head as if to ward off the heavy curtain, which was still descending. He seized Merry with desperate grip and tossed the actor far back on the stage, then he fell with the ponderous cur. tain across his inert body. His closed eyes were facing the glare of the foot lights.
 Dorcas and Merry, in a swift motor, reached the Waverly Place home be- fore the ambulance, and famous sur geon came close at their heels. When the operation was over they laid Wentworth upon his own bed. The surgeon stood looking down on the unconscious face. Blood was yelling slowly from the wound on his fore head and made & wide stain upon the snowy bandage. The man turned to look at Dorcas: her makeup lay in smudges upon her face and she wore the blue cotton gown which belonged to "Cordelia" in the last act; her fin gers clenched each other, while she turned an imploring gaze to the quiet face of the surgeon.
 II do not know-yet," he whispered. answering the question in her eyes; it is too soon to tell. He lived through it, and 1t is one of those oper- ations when the patient does not al- ways live"
 Somebody led her away In dazed fashion she knew that Alice Volk bathed her face and braided her hair into two long strands and changed her stage gown for soft kimono. Then Merry took her hand and she followed couch feeling IS if every nerve in her body had an ear and it was listen ing The house was perfectly still. Once in her mind she used that phrase, Still as death.' Afterwards she fell into shivering fit; the tears came. and she sobbed so fercely that the agony seemed to tear at her throat.
 From a shadowy corner near the fireside Merry rose and crept across the room. He dropped on his knees beside her and soothed her without 8 word, as one broods over an unhappy child. The warm grip in which he her courage and hope. She rose to her feet and he led her to the window where she sat down and looked out into the dark, quiet square. Out of her memory rose the thought of an early morning-it was only a year ago when she had seen Andrew Merry for the first time, stretched listlessly on the park bench, with gray, thin fog occasionally plotting him from her sight It was here, too. she had sat watching children scuffie through wind-blown leaves, while she heard her brother read the manuscript Of -Yhe House of Esterbrook." Merry sat silent at her side until the nurse entered the room.
 Miss Wentworth she said, "Dr. Mowbray wants you. Your brother has been conscious for few minutes. He cannot speak, but he wants something. Will you come?'
 They followed the woman swiftly. Enochs eyes sought hers with piteous pleading which was almost agony. She bent to kiss him. His gaze travelled | to Merry and the agony seemed to change to peace.
 You saved his life, Enoch,' she 1 whispered.
 Andrew laid his fingers gently upon 1 the nerveless hand which rested out side the sheet. The eyes of the two men met: in those of one was mute prayer for forgiveness. in the others shone gratitude and the old affection grown steadfast.
 Enoch's lips moved. He was trying to speak Dorcas laid her ear close , to his mouth. Y He wants his keys," she said quickly.
 The nurse left the bedside and re- turned with bunch of small keys strung upon steel ring. Dorcas laid 1 them in her brothers hand. It was l