Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-07
Continued from Last Saturday,
CHAPTER VIII.

Amy'a stellar Role.
Nature had intended Amy Barton to be
a great actress. Emotional roles OF any
sort would have sat absurdly upon her
slender shoulders but in the part Of the
insouciant ingenue she never failed to
score She was the quaint blending which
modern life has evolved, Of an old
fashioned small town upbringing. We
neered with a bright crust OF bravado
born Of battling for her living in a city
brimming with temptations, but she had
never lost her gay defiance nor had she
lost the cornerstone OF her simple creed.
BE decent loyal to your friends and
don't go around with a Crouch"
Her gaiety was infectious, and as she
trlpped up the two steps TO the >witness
chair she nodded a familiar greeting to
the Judge and smiled at the jury.
Miss Barton" said Langdon. you
have told US OF the experience with Mr.
Pollock that led to your sudden reslgna-
ton from The Blue Feather company.
Did you see him at any time after that?"
See him again." she retorted why
that man was a regular epidemic!" A
delighted giggle greeted the words, en-
anating from the iury-box itself. I'VE
pumped into him the day we landed our
first real job for the road We were on
our way TO the Prentiss Agency. Wed
been there before and they handed us
the call again sign, so we were playing
return date though we hadn't much
hopes. Old Miss Prentiss is such sour
old maid she'd never hand anybody a lob
II she could get her commissions any
other way, but she has the inside with
some of the good managers and you
can't overlook any bets in the show busl-
ness. So we went back. and while we
were going down the hall Mary looked
so blue that / had to play Little sun
shine with much business Of Ive-a-
-we'li-land-today'-to try TO
make her smile and look pretty for any
possible manager. That's why we didn't
see David Pollock until we fairly bumped
INTO him. and he made a grab for Mary's
hand. Then he began to spill out an
apology He said he'd been searching
every theatrical agency and every theater
In town looking for Mary. I've been
wretched. Mary he said. I think must
have been crazy that night at the blue
Feather" | was jealous and angry and
hurt besides, and / lost my head. Won't
you forgive me? I'm not going to bother
you any more, but l can't live without
your forgiveness BY that time MARY
had got the power of speech back and
she jerked her hand away from his as II
1t burnt. L am perfectly willing TO for
/ give YOU she said. and accept YOU
apology, but l do not care to continue
any acquaintance with YOU With that
we both sailed by him into the office
where there was a fine young lineup OF
leads and heavies and capital is, wait.
ing TO be selected by a manager who wai
closeted with Miss Prentiss."
Did you and Miss Page secure posi-
tions In that new company
Yes. The minute the manager spot
ted Mary, he picked her for the leac
/ because she was the proper type. an,
Mary, the darling, said she couldn't take
the job unless went along too. So a
banded me an ingenue role with abou
ten sides and twenty-five beans as salary
Old Miss Prentiss was so friendly aftei
that thought she was going TO kiss vi
goodbye, but she didn't and we got ava,
with our first call for rehearsal and ou
contracts tucked in our handbags. Mary
included the fact that she was to be fea
tured in the play which had the gidd.
moniker of "A woman's Pledge"
May it please the court" broke in tn
prosecutor. getting lazlly 10 his feet. .'al
this Is no doubt very nteresting-delight
full, in fact, and might prove of grea
help to us II we had stage aspirations
But with a sudden change of tone) Nv
are here to decide the guilt or Innocence
OF Mary Page. whom the state declare
TO have murdered David Pollock. I fai
to see. your honor. where the somewha
rambling fable in slang which the witnes
is telling has any bearing upon this case.
Your honor. and gentlemen of tn
jury" Langdon's voice rose before TN
words of the prosecutor had died away
"the story which the witness is tellin
has everything to do with the questio
of the murder OF David Pollock. l
will show how again and again he force
his attentions upon Miss Page. and c
the horror in which she lheld him: and c
the almost Inevitable mental collapse ths
followed his brutal efforts TO make he
marry him. II have allowed the witnes
TO tell the story In her own way 1t
simply that wish to bring you the pi,
ture of these two young girls. so hray
and hopeful. and hard working. who's
positions and good character were a
tackled by David Pollock"
For a moment the Judge hesitsted. an
the court held its breath-aggressiv
even antagonistie at the mere thought {
losing the gay little witness who wa
looking from the judge to I.angdon wit
such childishly startled eyes. Then h
Honor said slowly:
II cannot sustain your objection
the testimony as irrelevent sir. l col