The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

AAANNa I CA1Ao 0~NaAo[ shN was Va NAAA
same faith; but now she had sinneC
against il, and he rebuked her. Sh,
did not fare up as usual She laughed
She was ashamed to have been Sc
frivolous. ashamed to have profanet
the temple Of art with her childishness
And so was Forbes. But when they
looked into each others eyes now they
no longer stared with timorous wonder.
ment; they smiled together in dear
and cozy intimacy. And already they
owned secret
Willie was furious at Persis' lack Of
dignity, and forgot his own in COM
planning of il.
Cut out the soubrette spasms. for
Gods sake, Persis, or let us all in on
the joke II you have any comic re-
lief for this CHASTITY opera let me have
it. Why did you drag me here, any
ways Why didn't we 20 to Bellevue
Hospital and watch an amusing opera
tionl What would you say to making
a sneak Just about now and"
I'D say, run right along. Willie, If
you want to" said Persis. moi, j'y
suis, j'y restel"
"Oh, all right, l suppose I'll have to
suis and reste, too. But don't mind if
l. snore."
Ten Eyck appeared now with spol-
ogies for his delay. And a number of
callers knocked at the back door of the
box and were admitted TO an informal
little reception, shared by the next-door
who gossiped across the rail
with a charming friendliness These
latter were determined to find out what
Persis had been laughing at But she
shook her head mysteriously
The third act brought him back un-
der the Wagnerian yoke. Tristan's
castle walls ran along a cliff overlook
ing the ocean; in a green space under
a tree the wounded knight lay eternally
of his devoted squire if he
could not yet see the ship, the snip that
was to bring Isolde to nurse him back
to4ife. n
The thrall of the theater was so COM
plete Upon Forbes that when the sor-
rowful drone of the shepherds pipe
turned to joy at the sight of
Isolde's ship, Forbes heart leaped up
as if he were witnessing a rescue in
actual life.
The hurrying rapture of the music
that described Isolde's arrival, and her
haste up the cliff, sent his hopes to
heaven; but when the delirious Tristan
rose from his couch to his staggering
feet and began to tear at the bandages
about his wound, Forbes felt the stab
Of fear. He wanted to cry out. "Oh,
1ol mol" He sat with lips parted in
anguish, and his hand cropping for sup
bort.
The left hand of Persis was reaching
about in the same gesture of protest
against intolerable cruelty. It met the
land of Forbes. Their fingers clutehed
Zach other in an instinct of compau-
onship. The two souls were 50 intent
upon the action of the scene, and so
swept along by the torrential music,
hat they hardly knew their hands were
oined.
The music was a Iove-philter to
Forbes and Persis; they could not es-
ape it, had not thought of escape. Their
lands swung IN a little arc, clenched
nd unclenched in an utter sympathy of
mind and body, in kind Of epic dance.
And then the opera was over, and
forbes began to dread the raising of
he lights. He was grateful for the
ong ovation to the singers, since |
I kept the house dark till he
ould shake off the tears that he
1as ashamed to dab with a hand
erchief. Time was when greater SOL
iers than he were proud rather than
shamed of their tears, but Forbes was
lanlIful for the gloom. He applauded
nd joined the cries of "Bravo% to
rolong the respite.
Then he noted that Persis was not
oplauding. She was pulling off a long
love slowly and wincingly. When it
as off, she looked ruefully at her left
and and nutsed it in her right. She
lanced to see that sthe others were
lsy with their wraps, then she held
er hand out where Forbes could. see
(; and gave him look of pouting re-
-oach.
He saw. too. that on one of the little
igers there was thread of blood. The
ert old eyes OF Mrs. Neff caught the
,-play of the two, and her curiosity
ought her forward with a question.
How in heaven did you hurt your
lger?
Persis answered quietly and at once:
81 caught it on the thorn of rose.
s nothing" II
Forbes was compelled to silence by j
.rsis' explanation of the accident. He |
ust not say how sorry he was, though :
had wounded her-he had wounded +
.rsis till she bledl G
During the long wait for the carriage, !
wealthy rabble stood in a draughty !
orway waiting turns at the slowly
,integrating army of limousines and
ldaulets and touring cars and taxi }
os-eyen of obsolete broughams and
aches drawn by four-legged anach- +
aisms.
Mrs. Neff claimed Forbes as her per- "
nal escort, and carried him of IN her h
N chariot, which rolled up long be- :
re Enslee's. h
Forbes regretted TO leave Persis :
lnding there, with throat open as :,
ial to the night gale; but his con-
alton was that he could gossip F
out her. 81
Mrs. NeH's first word, of course, was
tobacco. The door was hardly o
mined upon them before she had her >
arettes out IIc
)nce her weed was prospering, sue h
5an to puff gossip: 81
Isn't she a darling-Miss Cabot, y
an! Everybody is crazy over ner, r
Willie scares EN- all of. What a F
' she's mixed up with the little
lnder OF course, she needs lot in
money, and her II of father is tr
rly ready for the Old Ladies Home; Il,
what shame that love and money n
together so rsrelyl For the matter "
that though don't think Pcrsis II