The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-04-21

dismissed her unfavorable
N opinion az hasty. but OF
10 thing she was sure. and that was
bat her interest in the handsome
nd picturesque foreman Of the L. X.
utht was far greater than in its more
Important manager.
Not for the world would Nan have
admitted that this interest had any
Thing to do with her acceptance Of
he shy little Mexican woman's in
bitation or her choice Of a frock for
ehe evenings entertainment. And
bhs tried to delude herself with the
belief that her wish was merely to
P'look decent" upon her first public
hppes rance In Hopedale. but in her
heart she knew that the thought that
Ben Evans might ride in from the
ranch affected her decision when her
ehoice lay between a plain shirtwaist
and . particularly becoming blouse
OF Amy lingerie.
From the silence which fell when
Nan and Poths pretty Mexican wife
took their seats In the already we'll
f,lled opera house that evening 1t Is
20 be inferred that Nan had entirely
succeeded In her desire to look de-
cent" In magazines ana books they
I had seen girls who looked like Nan,
Nand from the same source Nan had
4 ltained her knowledge of audiences
watch looked like this one.
A. the door OF the opera house MIR.
TN stood guard with n lantern I'M
his arm, by the light OF which
looked for plugged money among
silver which was flowing In an
couraging btream.
The kerosene lamps screwed to the
lee OF the long upholstered hall.
ded by tin refiectors. cleaned their
rightest. while a fresh layer of saw
VT upon the Moor showed that MIR.
10Th had been giving the opera house
x>is personal attention.
81 Nan found herself the cynosuro OF
(nll D.. eyes as she and Mrs. Poth
u nsarched for their names upon the
'kulips OF paper laid upon the seats OF
kNhS pine chairs marked Reserved"
She glanced about and once more
she felt the Same strange agitation
when her eyes met those Of Ben
Evans, who was leaning against the
or cowboys there were plenty in the
snotloy crowd. n rim OF white en-
icirciin~ their scn,ps In evidence of
recent haircuts, while powerful
odor NJ cologne and Florida water
sn,onated from their vicinity.
!. Swarthy Mexicans, lean. oily
Z hurried, showed their white teeth fire.
: Suently as they whispered together.
: Rrawny miners ana grizzled prospec-
z tors, the more dapper merchants OF
: the town, the few women OF Hope
n
4 .W -. a. .,,sra ,h.ir thtr
T. ~. ,,,,rIo-, .,i,s ,nado M
~" !UN .no "'''" '' "'"u' Wy
W. suo'cnc ., .,o., w
= WIZ van nas ~. s".n SUI =,
Sptitious s,an.e1 n' .no ioIe"na"
tns s, oS snn ,.s . "as M IN NJ, ~,
eeat oonIho her was stuu! ing nor ~
QUAINT promo with FASCINATED intent
ness. ;.
no iookeu AZ her mar me way ~
. grew about her temples and close IL
her ears was adorable. In repose, hei
: \nouth was sensitive and soft anc
4. 5s4lding; he noticed that. In ner-
Psvous trick she had OF shutting hei
teeth hard upon her lower lip. the
\ blood rushed back in crimson fiood
~ though 1t flowed swift and red ir
Ftor veins.
Hhe had an odd way, too. OF sud
\. 0enly throwing her head back with
little air Of haughtiness and lookin,
~ lndsr her long lashes. There wa!
Z Something spirited In the mannerisn
ehich appealed nightly to that whicl
f4eWs ma sterful In him. The speck o
"copper" In his hazel eye dllated unit
- seemed almost normal pupil.
T. The curtain Of turkcy-red Gallo,
xrhleh was stretched across the stag
V>u wire and gave an air OF mysterl
4to the coming entertainment was
xPine late In parting, and the stamp
x1hg OF restless feet, catcalIs and hisse
sDId Nan something Of the temper O
Tho audience which the travelling en-
lSrtainers had TO face.
- II was apparent that Poth had bee
y Ito ether correct in his surmise tina
3he Audience would he in no mood 10
foniency with the failure OF the Ia,
s$froupc" stili rankiinR.
The performers themselves ma
hayo feit the unfriendly atmospher,
~ vhen Al last the curtain parte
l. ma The how who had driven the wag
on came out and announced a banj
1 ssoio by himscif his face wore a twist
A N frirhtened smile
srhe ar vas simnle lint he stumble
I badlv IN his nervousness. and whe
| fIlO N0We0 himself OF IL WAS amid