The Press., 1916-08-24
Ecarlate A Mans Dream Ma
 terialized.
By CLARISSA MACKIE

him. He was a man about town, a clubman, a man who was always vel come behind the scenes at the thea ters and was very often found there, especially when the chorus and ballet girls were pretty. Some declared that the girl he married was one of thou sand; just the woman. iA fact. to hold such a man as Dacre. One who was familiar with his makeup replied that if she did hold him she would have to do 1t in gauze and tights.
 Dacre before the wedding made all sorts of promises to his fiancee- He would eschew theaters-that is. he would never go behind the scenes. He would cut all his old friends who were fast" In short, he would make a model husband devoted to his wife alone. That he loved her she did not doubt What she feared was that some one would steal him away from her through his senses.
 To every one's surprise, Dacre kept his promises. For a year he never went to the theater except with his wife. Then when the baby came and she had a new being to look after he was let occasionally alone of an even ing. One night to pass the time he sought amusement in what for him was a dangerous place. The queen Of the ballet captured him, and from that time forward he was devoted to a sue cession of dancers. At last the pre- dictions of those who knew him best had come true. His wife's life was changed from happiness to misery
 Then came the peerless Ecarlate. Shortly before her coming Mrs. Dacre had exaeted a promise from her hus- band that he would abstain from an acquaintance with any more women of the stage. He kept his promise, but every night that Ecariate danced he was in his accustomed seat in the theater. He had been captivated by the poetry of motion and could not look upon the dancer except with a mad temptation to break his word to the woman he really loved
 One night when Dacre was at the theater just before the dancer came on the stage the lights were lowered and the orchestra softly played a dream waltz. Then came a change.
 The violins suddenly swept into a legato movement, and as if treading lightly on the delicate measure a small scarlet clad form swayed on to the darkened stage and fiuttered there un- til the cold circle of the spot light searched and found her.
 1t held her there, a quivertng crea- ture of tantaIzing mystery, a baffiing airy thing of midnight hair, glorious eyes and unknown features, for Fear late was always masked
 Above the black velvet mask show ed a white forehead. with the soft black hair banded with jewels. Below it there were rose red lips, curved in tender smiles, and a dimpled white chin. Through the slits in the mask her eyes worked disaster.
 The mystery of her unknown fea- lures only added to her charm in the eyes of men. especially Jack Dacre.
 Daere leaned with his elbows on the railing of the box, and quite oblivious to significant glances he watched the dancer. He stared at her until his heart aehed with longing that the mask might be lifted so that he could feast his eyes on the loveliness which he had never yet seen.
 His eyes never left her while she danced. Occasionally she flashed a melting glance toward the box where be always sat when she danced, and then her head was turned aside so that he might see that she wore his nightly offering. a scarlet cactus flower tucked in the duskiness of her wonderful hair
 My scarlet beautyr he muttered restlessly as she swayed in the dizzy mazes of her famous butterfly dance.
 Scarlet she was from the flower in her hair to the tips of her tiny satin slippers. ..-.
 With snowy arms she lifted the scar let chiffon wings of her ilmyj skirts. her head fell back. and she melted ter dances.
 When 1t was over she withdrew. her arms loaded with flowers, her eyes smiling at Dacre's drowning face.
 With her departure Jack Dacre went away. For him the performance had ended with the vanishing of Ecarlate.
 For an hour he sat on the lounge of his club. drinking a little. thinking all the time of the strange woman whom he madly loved, although her face was unknown to him. Even her home was an impenetrable mystery. She came and went like bright meteor flashing across the midnight sky. Her man. agers were dumb on the subject. It was whispered that she was of royal birth.
 It was nearly midnight when Dacre let himself into his own house and gave his hat and overcoat to a sleepy servant.
 ''Is Mrs. Dacre out this eveningr' he asked. with foot on the stair.
 Mrs. Dacre returned an hour ago. I believe she Is in her boudoir, sir"
 Daere went on up the stairs and turned into his own room. For a mo ment he hesitated: then be crossed to and laid his hand on the glass knob.
 Would it respond to his pressure?
 His hand gripped the knob. 1t turn cd, and he entered his wife's apart ments.
 Eve Dacre sat in her boudoir under the glow of pink shaded lamps. She wore negligee of rose eolored silk, and her dark. piquant face seemed to re- feet the tender glow.
 She looked up as he entered. and a cold little smile curved her lips and drifted away.
 "Ah. you are homer she said. Did you enjoy the playT
 ''I went to the Venus," he said frig- idly.
 Now Mrs. Daere laughed softly. '-The Venus. of course! I, too, was there"
 "YOuP' he stammered.
 Yes. It was all rather stupid. was it notf Always exeepting EcarlateY'
 He was silent. His mouth was white. and his gray eyes looked cold and impenetrable