The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-06
Il because had not had the heart t.
tall how %hn <r,pth .

tell her the truth.
She seemed quite overwhelmed at
this. and l 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 as l had made to
produce love. and | was rewarded by
an acceptance.
During our engagement my 6ancee
told me that she was engaged in writ
ing another play. But I'll not offer
it to you," she said. after your no.
BILE act in paying me for a play that
was worthless rather than hurt my
feelings it would be a shame for me
to put you to such a 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 l have
| finished it."
One evening soon after this when
called on Alice l met a theatrical man
ager we'll known to me coming away
from her house. l wondered what he
had beer doing there and wished to
ask him. but refrained. | thought he
looked at me with something akin to
jealousy. We bid each other good
evening and passed on without a wore
upon the subject that was uppermost
in the mind of each. Entering the
house. | found Alice. and it was not
long before l gave her an opportunity
to inform me why he had called.
''Oh. you mustn't think that you are
the only string | have TO my bow
she replied lau=llingiy, and that was
AL l could get out of her.
The next day as I was about to en-
ter my Office Parkinson. the man I had
seer coming out Of my fiancee's home.
passed by and. seeing me stopped and
said:
ut seems that you and | are after
the same thing" he said.
1.-The same thing! What do you
mean?"
"Come. Don't pretend to be stupid
You know where | met you last ven
ing
"Certainly | dor
"Well?"
''Well?"
1--WE got it all in my own hands. and
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" | 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 e on the
countenance Of any one. He stood
gaping at me for a 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 explanation.
II supposed" said h%aughtily, that
you and ! were engaged?"
$50 did l."
will you please explain what you
mean by encouraging another man."
IL encourage another. MANI"
l 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 came to an understanding. Sit
down. | have a story to tell you"
l obeyed her impatlently.
1.-THE first time | saw you." she said,
was when ! left you n play called
Consistency. The next day the man
uscript was returned to me by some
one who found it. though l don't to
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 a lot of
AOoSCS vi OLuCl lulIuICS IuIOUSu n
Sylvan Butterfly. Then you. out of
Difference to my feelings, paid me $500
for a 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 I 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 a con,
tract for my new play. i have been
holding off till ! could learn whether
you or he had better produce it. Hav-
ing made one success for me, he nat
urally feels entitled to my second pro-
ductiOn. He knew nothing about my
engagement to you and thought you
were coming to see me with n view to
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