Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-07-06
Ccarlate
A Mans Dream Ma
terialized.
By CLARISSA MACKIE

| >~>~~ $4,000
When Dacre married his friends sale
or him that any woman who allied her
self to him would not be able 10 hole
him. He was man about town.
clubman, a man who was always wei
come behind the scenes at the thea
ters and was very often found there
especially when the chorus and bale
girls were pretty. Some declared tina
the girl he married was one OF thou
sand; just the woman. In fact. TO hol(
familiar with his makeup replied thai
IL she did hold him she would have e
do II In gauze and tights.
Dacre before the wedding made al
sorts OF promises to his fiancee. He
would eschew theaters-that is, h,
would never go behind the scenes. III,
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 ,hel
through his senses.
To every ones surprise. Dacre kept
his promises. For n year he never
went To the theater except with his
wife. Then when the baby came and
she had n new being to look after he
was left 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 suc-
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 exacted 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 Ecarlate 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 II treading
lightly on the delicate measure a small
scarlet clad form swayed on TO the
darkened stage and iuttered there un-
til the cold circle Of the spot light
searched and found her
1t held her there, a quivering crea-
tire OF tantalizing mystery. a battling
airy thing Of midnight hair, glorious
eyes and unknown features. for Ecar-
late was always masked.
Above the black velvet mask show.
ed white forehead with the soft
black hair banded with jewels. Below
1t there were rose red lips, curved in
tender smiles. aud n dimpled white
chin. Through the Sits I'm the mask
her eyes worked disaster.
The mystery Of her unknown fea
lures only added 10 her charm IN the
eyes or men especially Jack Dacre.
Dacre 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 ached with longing that the mask
might be lifted so that he could feast
his eyes on the loneliness which he had
never yet seen.
Ills eyes never left her while she
danced. Occasionally she flashed a
melting glance toward the box where
he always sat when she danced. and
then her head was turned aside so that
be might see that she wore his nightly
a scarlet cactus flower tucked
IN the duskiness OF her wonderful hair.
My scarlet beauty he mutterel
restlessly as she swayed in the dizzy
nazes 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 |
ct chiffon wings OF her filmy skirts |
lcr head fell back. and she melted !
nto the rhythm OF one OF her charac- |
e. dances.
When IL was over she withdrew. her |
rms loaded with flowers. her eyes
milling at Dacre's frowning face.
With her departure Jack-Dacre went
way. For him the performance had
nded with the vanishing OF Ecarlate.
For an hour he sat on the lounge OF
us club, drinking little. thinking all
he time OF the strange woman whom
e madiy loved. although her face was
TO him. Even her home was
n impenetrable mystery She came
nd went like a bright meteor flashing
cross the midnight sky. Her man.
gers were dumb on the subject. Ii
'as whispered that she was of royal
nth.
IL was nearly midnight when Dacre
t himself into his own house and
ave his hat and overcoat 10 a sleepy