The Washington times., 1916-01-23

cry of Gex that reused her.
MY God! She won't be ft to play
tonight-this ends the show!'
"Tonight?' she echoed. lifting her
her temples. Tonight? 1 had forgot
ten tonight"
But tonight is the only thing you
must remember" put in Philip sternly.
passed and think of-NORA"
II know" she breathed. sitting back
a sob. II know!" Then her head went
up with a piteous bravery. and a smile
the director she said gently, II SHALL
be ready. tonight Mr.. Gex. Nothing in
the whole wide world shall interfere
with my work now! Phil-if you'll wait
a bit outside my door. I'll dress
With murmured gasps of relief which
grew to voluble gossip outside. the
men shuffled through the door; but
when Langdon was on the threshold
Marys voice stopped him.
Phil" she asked. and there was a
tremor in her voice, Il don't think
David ought to have It,"
II should say not" he said sharply.
Better keep it for your own protec-
ton
Mary shivered at the words, so om-
nous in their suggestion Of the possible
repetition OF the scene Just past. and
her fingers trembled as she drew on
her filmy blouse
i can cry tomorrow" she whispered
TO her own reflection. Tomorrow / can
be just a woman; but tonight | am
Mary Mary, Page, the star Tonight l am
And as if the mere word was a
draught of fresh water. she smiled
away her tears; and when she pinned
on her smart little hat. her hands were
steady and her eyes bravely serene.
1t was a serenity that did not fater
even when Pollock sprang out OF the
shadows at the doorway with an inco-
herent plea for forgiveness; abasing
himself huskily in a last desperate cry
for pity in the name OF his love But
when she looked into his bloodshot eyes
and when his voice faltered into ST.
l"ncc her own tones rang crisp and
cold
Il do not understand your kind OF
love, David. and ! cannot forgive you
again l can only beg YOU never to
chance 10 forget"
where LangdOn was waiting by the
taxi. but with her foot on its step she
turned again and said distinctly:
II have kept your revolrer-for my
own protection
Nine words coldly spoken and over
ers. Nine words that were soon for
gotten amid the rush and excitement
Of the triumphant hours that followed
hut words that slipped like a flame from
lip to lip with. the coming OF another
day.
To Mary herself the words meant
little. and We're indeed no more than
girlish bit of bravado-a rebuke and
defiance in One-Gnd IL was as such THAI
Pollock received them. overshadowed as
they were by the greater hurt of her
preceding words.
He WINGED at the thought Of his de-
feat at l-anEdon's hands and his cowed
retreat from Mary's room, but it was
Kind OF love David" that Bit the deep
est. Why couldn't she understand? he
asked himself bitterly. Didn't she real
ize that there vas a heart hunger be-
side which the pangs Of physical star
walton were aS nothing? Couldn't she
understand that there was love that
was like fire In mans veins HAD he
been so dumb in his pleadings that he
fact that he paid her the HIGHEST. honpr
he could in asking hcr to be his wife
count for so little"
The endless question became n torture
TO him. as I've strobe up and down the
narrow street with the eyes OF his
chauffeur fnrtiVelv watching him.
If only he could talk to Mary about
il all That was his next thought. If
only he could have five quiet minutes
awav from Langdon. awav from Dan
iels and away from evervone-to tell
her simply and humblv about his love.
Then. he felt sure she would at last un-
derstand and put her hands frankly into
his His eyes misted over at the
thought and his heart beat wildly Five
minutes alone with her-when she
wasn't afraid-that was what he
wanted. The thought became an obses-
sion which gained an added pognanCy
Z. L. l. 1axl ,lNn
would never again grant him such an
interview
He could. he knew. threaten to with
draw his support OF the new plaY. but
on the other hand If II was a success
there would be hundred eager finan-
Ciers ready to take his place. No.
there was only one wav to do ito steal
tn" interview and win her pardon later.
Involuntarily he halted in his restless
pacing. and his face settled into uglv
self-"to steal the interView--that is the
only way" For a moment he stood
staring erimlv in the direction in which
MarV's taxi had sped: then. with
short laugh. he turned to his own car.
The club" he said curtlv and within
ten minutes was giving harsh orders
over the telephone to Shalc. who was
i0cularlv known among his friends as
"DaVe's Jackal"
1t was current rumor that ShaIe
would long a"o have been sent up the
river" IL 1t hadn't been for Pollock $
influence in high nlaCes. and though
ShaIe himself elahoratelv and bias
phemously denied this. he never uIes-
toned tn" orders that came to him
in that quick. decisive voice. He did
not question them that night Though
1t was perhaps as well that Pollock
could not see his faCe). and the latter
gave an oath of satisfaction as he hung
up the receiver.
The second act had begun before he
reached the theater. and again the re-
lief on Daniels face at sieht OF him was
almost comic. though it was blended
with triumph tu,. told the late ar
rlNal that the ni&T Aas really success.
SAID eXcitedly. Say, III" people are
already and what they'll Go when this
act is OYER heaven only knows. Just
Wait i'll they see he" in the big scene
W or that matter she's making every
,enc a big one. Are-are YOU going
back stage"
Pollock shook ais head. I'm sit in
one of the boxes" he said. for whil"
at least But though his voice was
cool his hards We're shaking, and one
Of them was tightly gripped around I
big keX-the key to a suite in the Hote,
Republic where little later Mary was
to he tendered the hanuuet thai was
to greet her elevation To stardom.
He SCowled at the Sighr Of LangdOn
with Mrs. Page ~ the opposite box.
hut ne w9s too busy outlining what hc
was going to say TO Mary little late"