The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-02-23
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roughed cheeks and tishy meaningless
eyes. and then glanced at the clock
over the cashiers desk. II was al
ready half-past seyen--the hour at
which shc should have reported at the
theater--and SO she hurriedly drank
her coffee, and asked the waiter for
the check.
The woman looked at her, chuckled.
and continued slowly to stir the coffee
IN her own huge cup Of heavy cracked
china.
There you are" she said. as Fay
rose quickly from the table, rushing
Oh with only half your dinner finished.
while ! sit here and enjoy my demi-
tasse at my elegant leisure. Good
night to you. dearie." she called TO
her derisively. land good luck TO you
Il was q quarter TO eight when Fay
reached the stage door, and to her
great distress she met Sedley. Nor
ley's assistant. ON the stairs leading
to her dressing-room. Sedley delioer'
ately put his hand on the balustrade
and his arm blocked her way.
Late again, Ell. Miss Clayton?'. ne
mapped ut her. III 1t wasn't that
half . dozen OF the girls are on to-
night wouldn't let you 60 on at all.
Some OF you DANES Is altogether too
GOOD for this business"
Fay turned and looked him evenly
In the eyes.
"T'm sorry, Mr.. Sedley, 1 can't bride
You the way some Of the girls do,
she said, but cent afford II. I'm
not that kind OF girl. Do 60 on
or not? Have It your own way--its
mp to You.
fhe young man whistaea softly ana
shrugged his shoulders. Sure he
said. Il told you TO 90 on tonight. But
the next time you're late you won't
go OH. You won't go on that night or
any night after that. Do you get
me-"
With q sneer he dropped his arm.
and Fay. white from rage and fear.
and without looking at him again.
hurried on to the dressing-room.
Fay's performance that night was
but a shadow of what II had been ear.
lier In the season. With the aid Of
her makeup box 1t was easy enough
70 conceal the pale cheeks and the
shadows under the eyes, but the en-
thusiasm and the animal spirits OF
youth were conspicuously absent. and
the fact that Morley and Sedley were
constantly watching her from the en-
traucea did not tend To improve her
performance. Over and over again
she thought: III could only escape
from the awful glare Of those foot
lights-if could only get away nom
those rows and rows OF grtnnins
faces" But she knew only too well
that abe could mot get away. She
needed every penny Of her salary: she
could not even AFFORD the luxury OF
staying on for , night Or two as %
many Of the girls did. This would not
only mean the loss Of her pay. but.
unpopular a she now was with Nor
LEY and his assistant, she thoroughly
realized that. in al probability, It
would result In her immediate dismiss
saI.
And then her thoughts would sud
denly AZ back to her visit 70 Field
ing's rooms and tC her gratuitous In
quits to his friends. She would try
to remember all of the miserable
cheap lies she had told Of her life.
and the memory Of every word that
she had spoken would cut like knife.
SUFFERING from fever. and severai
times very near to fainting. she some
how fought her way through the Ions
performance and changed to her street
clothes. AT the stage door there Wa
the usual crowd OF loafers and young
men waiting for their girl friends. but
quite sure that there was no ono VAN
Ing for her. with lowered head. she
hurried on her way. Just ct the e0ge
OF the crowd she was conscious thar
some one was blocking her way, and
looking up she saw Fielding: AFTER
the .dlsastrous events Of the afternoon
she had already decided that In al
probability she would never SEQ MN
again. and her surprise at finding him
waiting for her was as great % tine