The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-09-03

measured for my Grape"
At .7:1o. however. she sent a hurry
up call for Blackie, who was already
in the lobby with Wallingford, gloat-
ing serenely over the advance sale.
Bonnie seated in lonely state upon
the temple steps of the gorgeous first
act set.
Its all over, Blackie." she said, with
stiff lips which somehow stretched
and pulled and numbly hurt as she
tried to form the words. Somebody
has sure put a Dutch hex on this
show and she twisted lace kerr
chief into rough little string.
"Cheer up begged Blackie. respond
ing nobly. though with a sinking heart
to this new demand upon his cheerful
ness. 1.-The fatalities may not be so
great as at first reported. Who mixed
up the switchboard this time?"
Delaney" she gulped.
delaney? What's he kicking
about?"
"Cramps!' she walled. Cramps,
dog-gon him! l just got a note that
he's had three doctors, and guess a
plumber, trying to take the kinks out
of his stomach. but he can't be re-
| paired in time"
"How inconsiderate of him." num-
bled Blaclsie politely, still trying to be
!, brave ''Why. he's the grand lama"
| he exclaimed, awakening suddenly to
the enormity of the blow. This show
can't go on without lama. What are
you going to do. girl?''
"Do?" she half shrieked "I'm 60
ing up to Squamosett and strangle
Martha Trip with her own cockscrew
curs." And suddenly for the first
time in her life she gave way to COM
plete despair and threw her arms
around Blackie's neck and sobbed-
actually sobbed.
Blackie was scared to a pale Nile
green. "Cheer up" he begged. with
a feeble imitation of his usual hippant
heartiness and patted her automatical-
ly upon the shoulder Cheer up. vi.
Say. for the love of Mike. cheer up or
I'll go dippy myself" And he looked
about him wildly for some place to sit
down. for Violet was no bantam. and
she was leaning her full weight against
him.
The Lama's Goat might have
come to a premature demise. there and
then. had not the distracted stage
manager invigorated Violet by burst
ing upon them at that moment.
Nov the devil is to pay!' he bawled
out. "Lawrence's boots for the second
act have just come in, and they're All
inch too short. What in Texas are we
going to do about it?"
Saw his toes OFF, ordered Violet
turning fiercely upon him.
But protested the stage man
ager.
"Shut up" she cried. IL told you
what to do; go and do it. And if you
bother me any more I'll drop the as
, bestos curtain drum on you. say
get out! Blackie, lick him."
Sure" accepted Blackie. glad fol
r any relief from his own surcharget
feelings, and he made dash for the
stage manager. who beat him up the
l stairs by two lengths and locked him
, self in Lawrence's dressing room
4 Blackie returned alphabetically. III,
L got away from me-" he explained il
f some shame. "but I'll watch at tn,
l foot of the stairs till he comes out, i
= it takes all night
Violet looked at him and suddenl,
S laughed. Honest. Blackie. l wouldn'
a be a widow again for $1.OOO.OOO ali
|, mony." she confessed. you needn'
y watch at the foot of the stairs. though
= for I've got a better job for you
l. You've got to go on tonight and pla!
r the Lama"
i Blackie laughed at her. "Show m
J. my best friends baby and tell me t
u murder it, and III do it, but I refus
to step into your aeroplane. Wher
are you taking me?"
G ITO Delancy's dressing room," sh
d firmly replied, pushing him ahead q
70 her by one elbow, like a country shel
x if taking his first local malefactor t
IS the lookup, and, as memorable as unr,
e lenting fate, she pushed him up til
{, stairs and into the star comedian
& dressing room. where the grand lama
3 costumes hung upon their hooks