The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-02-19

| tell her the truth.
| She seemed quite overwhelmed at
this, and | took advantage of the stu
alton to tell her that | desired her to
make me happy instead of pleasing the
world by her plays. There is nothing
| like such a sacrifice lis / had made to
| produce love. and l was rewarded by
an acceptance.
During our engagement my fiancee
| told me that she waS engaged in writ
| ing another play. But I'll not offer
| it to YOU" she said. After your no
bic act in paying me for Il play that
was worthless rather than hurt my
| feelings it would he Il shame for me
/ to put you to such Il test again"
you will permit me to read it sim
ply as your critic. will you not?'' l re-
piled.
We'll see about that when | have
/ finished it,
One evening soon after this when |
called on Alice | met a theatrical man
| ager well known to me coming away
from her house. | wondered what be
/ 1du Dtch anu W ANAbti w
ask him. but refrained | thought he
looked at me with something akin to
| jealousy We bid each other good
evening and passed on without word
upon the subject that WIS uppermOst
| in the mind Of each Entering the
house. l found Alice. and it was not
| long before | gave her an opportunity
to inform me why he had called.
| "Oh. you mustn't think tlEIt you are
| the only string | have to my bow
she replied laughingly. and that WAS
all | could get cut of her
The next day us WAS about to en-
/ ter my office Parkinson. the MIN ! had
seen coming ont of my tiancee'> home.
| passed by and. seeing ME. stopped and
said:
1T seems that you and / are after
| the same thing" he said
The same thing. What do you
mean:"
Come. Don't pretend to be stupid.
You know where | met you last even,
/ ing"
Certainly l do
/ "Well:"
: "Wellf'
/ I've got it all in my own hands. anG
there's no Use in your interfering. You
can't do anything
You speak in riddles"
What nonsense, Own up. man.
/ You're trying to get ahead of me.
/ having been first in the field"
See here. Parkinson" l said. with
rising color. Miss Woodruff is engag
/ ed to me. and there's no uSe for you to
/ try to get ahead of me. 1t is you who
are intruding."
The most singular expression came
over his face | have ever seen On the
cOuntenance of any one. He stood
gaping at me for few moments. then
with an abrupt good morning turned
on his heel and left me.
l called on Alice during the after
noon, hot for an explanatiO
Il supposed" said haughtily, that
you and were engaged?'
$50 did l."
will you please explain what yoC
] CuCOuluSDlS
| 81 encourage another man.
told her Of my meeting with Par
kinson and of his having accused me Of
trying to get ahead of him. She burst
into an uncomfortable fit Of laughter.
II think it time" she said. that you
and l came to an understanding. Sit
down. l have a story to tell you"
obeyed her impatiently.
THE first time l saw you" she said
was when l left you a play called
'COnstancy.' The next day the man
uscript was returned to me by some
one who found it. though l don't tc
this day know where"
A cold chill began to creep down my
back.
II offered it to several other man
ayers and finally to Mr.. Parkinson
He brought it out under the name Of
"A Sylvan Butterfly"
"a Sylvan Butterfly"
Yes. You remember that the play
was a great success
go on"
well, Parkinson made up Il lot OF
=
Sylvan Butterfly Then you. out of
Difference to my feelings. paid me 500
for play you had lost. Never mind
that now. dear: it's all in the family.
and I've made a good deal of money
which you will share with ME out OF
the play. And now you can under
stand why laughed at you when you
told me of Parkinson's accusation that
you were trying to get ahead Of him.
He is trying to get me. to. sign con
tract for my new play. have been
holding off till could learn whether
you or he had better produce it, Hav-
ing made one success for me. he bat
urally feels entitled to my second pro-
duction. He knew nothing about my
engagement TO you and thought Won
were coming to see me with a view 30
getting my play"
Having finished her explanation. or.
rather confession. she leaned back on
her chair and regarded me with an
amused expression. though there was
slight sign of worry us to how }
would take it I sat thinking. and the
more l thought the more ii was appar-
ent to me that Miss Alice Woodruff
had held over me a most beautiful adj
vantage. Finally | went to her and
took her in my arms.
"If you could play part on the
stage" i said. "as well as you have
played me you would be the most re-
markable actress on or off the boards.
Let Parkinson have your new play.
He is entitled to it. and I am not Il