Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-10-19
ChAPT Err v.
Curtain,


Whitaker should dine with him. He
consented to drop him at the Ritz-Carl-
ton, In order that he might dress, only
on the condition that Whitaker would
meet him at seven, In the white room
at the Knickerbocker.
"Just mention my name to the head
waiter" he said with magniflcence: .or
If I'm there first, you can't help see
Ing me. Everybody knows my table
the little one In the southeast corner.
Shoot, James !"
The latter phrase was Max's way Of
ordering the driver to move on. The
car snorted resentfully, then pulled
smoothly and swiftly away. Max
waved jaunty farewell with q lemon
colored hand, over the back Of the tom
neau.
Whitaker went up to his room In q
reflective mood In which the theatrical
man had little place. Since his arrival
in New York he had fallen into the
habit Of seeking the view from his
window when in meditative humor. A
view Of ten thousand roofs, inexpressi-
bly, enchanting. Somewhere
-perhaps-in that weller Of steel and
stone, as eternal and as restless as the
sea, was the woman Whitaker had
married, working out her lonely des-
tiny. A haphazard biscuit tossed from
his window might fall upon the very
roof that sheltered her; he might
search for a hundred years and never
cross her path.
He wondered.
The possibility that she might have
married a second time did not disturb
his pulse by the least fraction Of q
beat. He even contemplated the chance
that she might be dead with normal
equanimity. Fortunate, that he didn't
love her. More fortunate still, that he
loved no one else.
1ncontinently he wrote and dis
patched long, extravagant cablegrsm
to Mrs. Petit In care Of the American
embassy, little doubling that she would
Immediately answer.
When eventually he strobe into the
white room, Max was already estab-
ltshed at the famous little table In tho
southeast corner. Whitaker was con-
scious Of turning heads and guarded
comment as he took his place opposite
the little fat man.
Make you famous in night" Max
assured him Importantly. Don't hap
pen to need any notorIety, do your"
mo, thanks"
Dime with me here three nights
hand-running and they'll let you into
the Syndicate by the back door with
out even asking your name. P. T. AS
one grand little motto. my boy"
''P. T. A.f'
''Pays to advertise. Paste that in
your hat. Look me over" he requested
abruptly, leaning back. IT guess I'm
some giddy young buck, whatf''
Whitaker reviewed the striking eff
feet Max had created by encasing his
brief neck and double chin in an old
fashioned high collar and black silk
stock, beneath which his important
chest was protected by an deliberately
frilled shirt decorated with black pearl
studs. His waist was strapped In by
a piQue waistcoat edged with black,
and there was a distinctly perceptibls
invisible" stripe In the material Of his
evening coat and trousers.
Dressed like fool" Max summed
up the ensemble before his guest could
speak. would you believe that de-
spatr could gnaw at the vitals of any
one as wonderfully arrayed?'
II would not" Whitaker asserted.
"Yet, I'm down in the mouth, be-
cause this is Sara's last appearance"
Max mOtioned the waiter to remove
the debris of a course 1--WE got it in
my knob that she's my mascot. If she
leaves me, my luck goes with her.
made her, all right, but she made me,
too; and it sprains my sense Of good
business to break up paying combi-
nation like that"
Nonsense" Whitaker cOntended
warmly. "H I'm not mistaken, you
were telling me this afternoon that
you stand next to Belasco as a produc-
ing manager. The loss of one star isn't
going to rob you of that prestige, is
itY'
"You never can tell" the little man
contended dafkly; II wouldn't bet
thirty cents my next production would
turn out hit. I've had several close
calls with Sara-she's threatened to
chuck the stage often before this; but
every time something happened to
make her change her mind. I've got O
bunch maybe something will happen
this time, too. II 1t does, I won't want
any partners"
Whitaker laughed quietly and turned
the conversation, accepting the mana
gers pseudo-confdences at their face |
value-that Is, as pure bluff, quite con- |
sistent with the managerial pose.
They rose presently and made their |
way out into the crowded, blatant night !
of Broadway.
"Well walk, If you don't mind" Max
suggested. ut isn't far, and I'd like
to get line on the house as 1t goes
in" He sighed affectedly. Heaven |
knows when I'll see another swell au-
6Ience mobbing one of my attractions !"
They pushed forward slowly through |
the eddying tides, elbowed by match
less motley Of humanity, deafened by
its thousand tongues, dazzled to blind |
ness by walls Of living light. Whitaker
experienced sensation Of participant