The Washington herald., 1914-11-22

That's the trouble. could see that when
was telling him.
Telling himF' repeated Miss F1aEg-
Telling him what7'
About what a funny story you made
Of IT," explained Holworthy. About his
having the nerve to ask you to feed the
monkeys and to lunch with him"
Miss Flagg interrupted with a gasping
intake Of her breath.
oh" she said softly $3.50 you told
him that. did you? And-what else did
you tell him?''
"OnIy what you told us-that he said
the day could not begin too SOON that
he said he wouldn't let you be a mani
cure and wash the hands OF men who
weren't it to wash the streets you
walked on"
There was a pause.
Anita Flagg.
You know you did," said HoIworthy.
There was another pause
II must have been mad!' said the girl.
There was a longer pause and Hol-
worthy shifted uneasily.
I'm afraid you are angry" he ven
tured.
Angry exclaimed Miss FIagg. Il
should say I was angry!-but not with
you. I'm very much pleased with you.
At the end Of the act I'm going to let
you take me out into the lobby
With his arms tightly folded. Sam sat
staring unhappIly at the stage and see
ing nothing. He was sorry for himself
because Anita F1agg had destroyed his
ideal of a sweet and noble woman-and
he was sorry for Miss F1agg because a
man had been rude to her. That he
happened to be that man did not make
his sorrow and indignation the less in
tense; and. indeed. so miserable was he
and so miserable were his looks. that his
him note. offering, il he would take
himself out Of the front row, to give him
/ back his money at the box ofhce.
When the curtain fell he still remained
| seated He knew before the second act
{ there was an interminable wait: but he
/ did not want to chance running into Hol-
( worthy in the lobby and he told himself
I il would be rude to abandon Sister
Anne. But he now was not so conscious
Of the imaginary Sister Anne as OF the
actual hpX party on his near right. who
were laughing and chattering volubly.
| He wondered whether they laughed at
him-whether Miss Flag were again en-
tertaininG them at his expense; again
making his advances appear ridiculous
! He was so sure of it that he flushed in
dignantly. He was glad he had been
! rude
( And then. at his elbow. there was the
; rustic of silk: and a beautiful figure all
in black velvet. lowered above him. then
4 crowded past him. and sank into the
empty seat at his side. He was too
startled to speak-and Miss Anita Flagg
seemed to understand that and to wish
TO give him time; f"r, without regarding
him in the least. and as though to estab-
lish the fact that she had come to stay,
she began calmly and deliberately TO re-
move the bell-like hat. This accomplish
: ed she bent toward him, her ewes look
I'M isl Mt IL he's
I ing him. In the familiar tone Of an old
! and dear friend she said to him gently:
This is the day you planned for me
! Don't you think you've wasted quite
( enough of IL
sam looked back into the eyes. ana
| mockery, but. instead. gentle reproof and
appeal-and something else that. in turn.
| begged Of him 10 be gentle
For A moment. too disturbed to speak
he looked at her, miserably. remorse-
| fully.
IT'S not Anita FIaEE at ALL" he said.
It's Sister Anne come back TO life
again.
| The girl shook her head.
No: it's Anita FIagg. I'm not A BIT
| like the girl you thought you met and
! did say all the things Holworthy told
you I said. but that was before I under
stOOd-bsfore I read what you wrots
about Sister Anne-about the kind OF
me you thought you'd met. When I read
| that I knew what sort Of a man you
were. I knew you had been really kind.
and gentle. and knew you had dug
out something that did not know was
there-that no one else had found And
remembered how you called me Sister
l mean the way You said it. And
wanted to hear it again. l wanted you
to say it
She lifted her face 10 his She was
very near him-sO near that her shoulder
brushed against his arm.
The young people in the front row did
not know they were observed. They were
alone-as much alone as though they were
seated in biplane, sweeping above the
clouds.
Say it again." prompted Anita F1agg
Say Sister
Il will not returned the young man
firmly. But I'll say this" he whispered:
I'm say you're the most wonderful. the
most beautiful. and the finest woman
who has ever Iived,''
Anita Flagg's eyes left his quickly. and
with her head bent. she stared at the
bass drum in the orchestra.
Il don't know" she said, but that
sounds just as good
When the curtain was about TO rise she
told him to take her back to her box, So
on with them to supper: but when they
reached the rear Of the house she halted
We can see this act" she said, or
my cars in front of the theater-ws
might go 10 the park and take turn or
twO-or three. Which would you pre-
fer?'
Don't make me laugh" said Sam.
As they sat all together at supper with
those of the box party, but paying no
attention to them whatsoever, Anita
Flag sighed contentedly.
There's only one thing she said 10
Sam. that is making me unhappy: and
because it is such sad news haven't told
you. 1t is this: 1 am leaving America
l am going to spend the winter in Lon
don. l sail next Wednesday"
My business is to gather news" said
Sam. but in all my life never gathered
such good news as that"
Good news" exclaimed Anita
Because explained Sam, I am leav-
ing America-I am spending the winter
in England-I am sailing on Wednesday
No; l also am unhappy, but that Is not
what makes me unhappy"
Tell me-" begged Anita.
Some day." said Sam.
The day he chose to tell her was the
first day they were at sea-as they
leaned upon the rail, watching Fire Is
land disappear.
This is my unhappiness" said Sam
and he pointed TO a name on the pas
senger list. It was: The Earl Of
Deptford, and valet And because he
is on board"'