Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-11-06
CHAPTER XVII.
Behind the Curtain.

benInQ Tne OuFIains
1t was a wet night in October. A
line of carriages moved slowly over
the shining asphalt to the door of the
Gotham. Grant Oswald stood in a
corner of the foyer watching the
throng pour in.
This beats your first night in Lon
don, doesn't it?" queried a newspaper
man who stood beside him. VI
YES" acceded the Englishman.
THE first night or my other night"
gWentworth's escape from death was
q. great ad-if you look at it that a
He had a close call"
yes" Oswald spoke absently.
That morning he had arrived from
London. Although he was the least
curious of men, he felt as If the peo-
pie from whom he had parted four
months ago were living in a different
atmosphere. Before the ship locked
he had discovered a group waiting to
welcome him. Dorcas was there, her
beautiful face glowing with happiness.
He watched her unite a gray scarf
from her hat and wave it. Merry
stood beside her, but the girls hand
was clasped inside her brothers arm.
Wentworth was wan and thin. Across
his temple cleaned a wide red scar.
Merry lifted his hat when he caught
| sight of Oswald and the wind tossed
down, almost into his eyes, the wayy
lock of long fair hair which proclaimed
his calling. Alice Volk stood in the
| group, with Julie jumping impatiently
beside her. Little Robin clasped her
hand, while he searched for the ship
with his sightless eyes.
With a courteous Good night" Os-
valid left the man and walked into the
theater, where a gay, chattering crowd
| streamed past him. The throng was
SO dense that he was pushed into a
corner When the overture began he
moved toward the rail and took his
place among a group of men who had
not been able to buy seats. He found
Singleton, of the Times, at his elbow.
."Hullo." said the young editor heart
lily. I'm glad to see you back and
glad you've come back to such a
house. Why, it's one of the biggest |
ever saw in New York. You fellows
must be raking in the shekels.'
1T does look that way" Oswald
| smiled. Il don't know how long it
will hold out. The play has already
! gone far beyond my expectations"
1T ought to last through several
seasons. Generally a drama that pulls
at the heart strings has a clutch on
the purse strings of the public. Be
sides, you've a great card in your Miss
Wentworth, to say nothing of Merry.
She's out of sight. Why, I've run in
heaven knows how often, for that
third act. l can't think OF any big
actress who could get as much out
of hat situation as Dorcas Wentworth
does. There are minutes when ii
doesn't seem as if the girl we're act,
ing-she lives the character from start
to finish. She is not playing Cor.
della she is 'Cordelia.' l told you
Oswald she is a wonder. l have been
following the drama as a critic fol
years, and one gets to be hardened
the emotions are not susceptible tc
the appeals of the average player, but
in this scene particularly Miss Went
way. She is so simple and sincere in
her methods that one cannot realize
that she is acting a part. She i!
great
Il believe you are right" acknowl
edged Oswald.
r. pofnrn tho fhirl onf $1,000 ~,
house settled down to that silenc;
which means intense anticipation
When the curtain fell, the applaus,
rose to a deafening clamor. One play
er after another appeared to take al
encore. Last of all came Dorcas. Sh'
stood on the stage alone, smiling an,
bowling. Her face was radiantly haI
by. When The curtain dropped, tn
applause began again. Wentworth az
peared, leading Merry by the hand
The face of the older man looked pal
lid and the red see cut lividly acros
his forehead. A stiffness fell upoI
the house. 1t seemed to Oswald a
if the people waited inteHtly for som
unusual event.
There was a ~tenseness in the quie
that prevailed in the audience tina
seemed to forecast something dr.
matte. 1t equaled In intensity the il
terest with which the most telling cl
/ makes of the play had been received
; The very air of the two men standin
) side by side in the center of the stag
: seemed to promise a sensation.