Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-12-01
CHAPTER VI.
The Late Extra.


Impulsively Whitaker got up to fol-
low Max, then hesitated and sank back
in doubt, his head awhirl. He was for
the time being shocked out of all ca.
pacity for clear reasoning or right
thinking. Uppermost in his conscious
ness he had half-formed notion that
it wouldn't help matters If he were to
force himself in upon the crisis behind
the scenes.
Beyond all question his wife had
recognized in him the man whom she
had been given every reason to believe
dead: discovery so unnerving as to
render her temporarily unable to con-
tinue.
This, then, explained Drummond's
reluctance to have him hidden to the
supper party; whatever ultimate
course of action he planned to pursue,
Drummond had been unwilling, per-
haps pardonably so, to have his ro-
nance overthrow ard altogether shat.
tered in a single day. He had lied,
lied desperately, doubtless meaning to
encompass marriage before Whitaker
could find his wife, and so furnish him
with every reason that could influence
an honorable man to disappear sec
ond time.
On the other hand, Max to certain
ty was ignorant of the relationship be-
tween his star and his old time friend,
just as he must have been ignorant of
her identity with the one time Mary
Ladislas. For that matter, Whitaker
had to admit that, damning as was the
evidence to controvert the theory,
Drummond might be just as much in
the dark as Max was. 1t was only fair
to suspend judgment. In the mean
time
The audience was getting beyond
control. In the gallery the gods were
beginning to testify to their normal in
tolerance with shrill whistles, cat-calls,
sporadic bursts of hand-clapplng and a
steady, sinister rumble of stamping
feet. In the orchestra and dress circle
people were moving about restlessly
and talking at the top of their voices
in order to make themselves heard
above the growing din.
Abruptly Max himself appeared at
one side of the proscenium arch. 1t
was plain to those nearest the stage
that he was seriously disturbed. There
was noticeable hesitancy in his man.
ner, pathetic frenzy in his habitually
mild and lustrous eyes. Advancing
halfway to the middle of the apron. he
paused, begging attention with pudgy
hand. 1t was full minute before the
gallery would let him be heard.
Ladies and gentlemen" he an
nounced plaintively, 81 much regret to
inform you that Miss Law has suf-
fered a severe nervous shock"-his
gaze wandered in perplexed inquiry to-
ward the right-hand stagebox, then
was hastily averted-"and will not be
able to continue"
Wave upon wave Of sound swept
through the auditorium to break, roar
Ing, against the obdurate curtain. Max
with difficulty contrived to make him.
self disconnectedly audible.
Ladies and :" he shouted,
sweat Deadlng MS perturDed forehead
i. regret impossible TO
continue money =. box
office :"
An angry howl drowned him out. He
retreated at accelerated discretion.
Whitaker, Shipping through the stage
door behind the boxes, ran into the
stage manager standing beside the first
entrance, heatedly explaining to any
one who would listen the utter futility
of offering box-office prices in return
for seat checks which in the majority
of instances had cost their holders top
notch Spectator prices.
They'll wreck the theater," he
shouted excitedly, hopping his brow
with his coat sleeve, 'what t'elPd she
wanna pull raw one like this for?"
Whitaker caught his arm in a grasp
compelling attention.