The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-12-26


her first entrance When she heard
her cue she felt dumb, crippled, almost
blinded for one moment. The smile on
Zilla Pagets face, as she stepped
from the wings, stung her into action.
There was scorn in it. and cruelty
smoothed over by sweet, beguiling
perfdy. which aroused in the girl a
sudden hate that she had never felt
in her life before. The hatred made
her forget everything except her part
The recollection OF a bit of gossip
had flashed to her memory: ZiIla
Paget had prophesied that her Cor
della" would be a dead failure. Be-
fore the end of that second act the in
tense loathing and scorn which Merry
had put into her lines became real.
The woman understood. She shrank
With terror which was scarcely simu-
lated during the girls denunciation OF
q mother who had lost all claim upon
child for love or respect. Seven
the two women. Once q volley OF
hisses was hurled at Zilla Puget. and
she smiled in happy triumph. Oswald
and Merry stood in the wings watch
ing the act The intensity which
DorcAs threw into her part stirred
both men strongly, as it did the audi
ence. They had anticipated womanly
sweetness and tenderness, but they
had not gauged her emotion to the
depths.
Il never dreamed she could do any
h;a n,x. IL
Merry did not speak. He had caught
Zilla Paget's subtle smile. He knew
there was moro than acting in the
scene.
While DorcAs sat gazing into the
red caves OF the coal fire she went over
each situation in the play. step by
step. Once she buried her face in
the folds OF her shawl: her cheeks
were throbbing hotly. She felt Aerys
been no real kisses at rehearsal. The
trust and love and gratitude with
which the broken old convict turned to
his child seemed real for a moment;
she felt il when the actor touched
her lips. Then she had fallen sob
bing into his arms. She heard the
audience sob with her. When she
turned to glance aside through half
blinded eyes she met the deristve
smile OF Zilla Paset, who stood in the
wings. There was jealousy in her
scorn Her part was over for the
night, she was dead to people in
front They had forgotten her, in spite
OF the applause she had won a half
hour before. II hurt her vanity.
Dorcas came out OF her reverie with
a start The door behind her closed
and Enoch walked in. His face was
glowing with eager. impetuous tri-
umph, his cheeks were flushed, and
his eyes shone He stopped suddenly
1t seemed years since she had seen
him in such a mood.
"Dorry." he cried why did you rush
home? Everybody was waiting TO con-
gratulate you. You lifted people on
their feet; | swear. you took me Oh
mine, The critics went wild over
you and wanted TO interview you.
Tomorrow you'll be the talk OF the
town.
Everything that had blurred life
seemed to vanish II WAS wonderful
that in a few hours the dreams of q
lifetime should have come true. The
girl laughed Her heart had suddenly
grown light
"Enoch, | cannot make myself BE-
iieve it
He stood beside her with . proaA
smile upon his lips 'Dorry. you're a
queer proposition. Any other girl
would have had her head turned by
the triumph tonight. Why, child. in
three hours you climbed straight onto
pedestal that many women work half
lifetime to reach. Even then they
often miss tt
her eyes looked into his There were
minutes" he said fondly, when
actually questioned whether 1t vas
the little sister herself or not"
Dorcas had never seen her brother
30 strangely excited. She wondered
for moment il he had been drinking,
but she saw it was the intoxicatiop Of
sudden success, not OF wine. He paced
about the library, talking. laughing
building a thousand plans for the
! future. The girl watched him Gu.
riously. 1t was strange transition
from the sullen silence OF months.
The Enoch OF light hearted boyhood
days had returned.
You have great future, Dorry.-
He stopped abruptly and his voice
grew grave. There is one thing i
want to say. Don't" he hesitated and
began to pace the room again, as il
choosing his words carefully. don't
make hero of Merry He did well
| tonight have seen him set the whole
town talking as he did in Esterbrook.
then topple back and go down, away
| down
| Dorcas rose from her chair and
| tossed the long braids Of hair over her