The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-27

Sir join signs deeply and Is silent.
This To- let the fact soak into the
audience hat Jack has gone to Peru.
Any reasonable person would have
known 1t. Where else could he go
to?
He will do well in Peru says Mrs.
Harding. She is initiating a woman
being very brave.
yes, I trust So" says Sir John.
There is silence again. In fact the
whole third act is diluted with 80
per cent. of silence. Presently Mrs.
Harding speaks again in a low tone.
You have other news, ! know"
II have other news"
'Of herr"
Yes. have been TO Switzerland.
/ have seen the cure-a good man.
He has told me all there is to tell.
l ound him at the hospice busy with
his Puvre de Renaissance He led
me to her grave"
Sir John is bowed in deep silence.
Lady Cicely dead. Everybody in
the theatre gasps. Dead! But what
an unfair way to kill her. To face an
open death on the stage in fair hand
to hand acting Is one thing. but this
new system Of dragging of the char
acters TO Switzerland between the
acts and then returning and saying
that they are dead Is quite another.
Presently Mrs. Harding speaks very
softly. And you? You will take
up your work here again"
No; I am going away"
"Going?"
Eyes, far away. am going to
Kafoonistan."
Mrs. Harding looks at him in pain.
ITO Kafoonistan?"
Yes. To K%afoonIstan. There's
work there for me TO do"
There is silence again. Then Sir
John speaks. And you? You will
settle down here in London"
mo. ! am going away
Going away?"
Yes, back to Balla Walla. I want
to be alone. ] want to forget. I want
to think. I wan to try to realize"
You are going alone?"
Yes, quite alone. But I shall not
feel alone when l get there. The
Maharanee will receive me with open
arms. And my life will be useful
there. The women need me: / will
teach them to read, to sew, to sing"
Mrs. Harding Margaret - you
must not do this. You have sacrificed
your life enough-you have the right
to live"
There Is emotion in Sir Johns tone
1t is very rough on him to find his
plan OF going to Kafoonistan has
been outdone by Mrs. H~arding's going
TO Balla Walla. She shakes her
head.
No. no; my life is Of no account
now. But you, John, you are needed
here. h country needs you. Men
look to you to cad them"
Mrs. Harding would particularize II
she could, but she can't Just for the
minute remember what 1t is Sir John
can lead them to. Sir John shakes
his head.
mo, no: my work lies there in
kafoonistan. There is a mans work
to be done there. The tribes are ig-
rorant, uncivilized."
This dialogue goes on for some TINA.
Mrs. Harding keeps shaking her head
and saying that Sir John must not go
to ~kafoonistan, and Sir John says she
must not go to Balla Walla. He pro-
tests that he wants to work and she
claims that she wants to try to think
clearly. But II Is all a blum. They
are not going. Neither of them. And
everybody knows it.. Presently Mrs.
Harding says:
you will think of me sometimesc'
Il shall never forget you"
I'm glad of that"
"Wherever ] am, I shall think of
you-out there in the deserts, or at
night, alone there among the grea.
silent hills with only the stars over-
head, ! shall think OF you. Your face
will guide me wherever | am"
He has taken her hand.
"And you he says. "you will think
OF me sometimes in Balla Walla?
"Yes, always. All day while l am
with the Maharanee and her women.
and at night. the great silent Indian
night when all the palace is asleep and
there is heard nothing but the sounds
OF the jungle, the cry Of the hyena and
the bray Of the laughing jackass. |
shall seem to hear your voice"
She Is much moved. She rises.
Clenches her hands and then adds, II