Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-12-06

mes 10 pay on SATURDAY, n l haSeut
had a decent meal this week. But !
had forgotten" she broke on. with a
sudden note Of disappointment In her
tone. There's your brother. ! mustn't
take you away from him."
SVEN all have dinner together
John suggested. "Youll come. OF
course. Stephen!"
Stephen shook his head.
THANK YOU" he said. N am due at
my Hotel. I'm going back to Cumbef.
land tomorrow morning. and my errand
Is already DONE"
"YOu will do nothing Of the sort!"
John declared.
"Piease be amiable." Sophy begged.
"If you won't come with US, l shall
simply run away and leave you with
John. You needn't look at your
Clothes" she went on. ave AN 60 to
a grillrOom. John sha'n't dress, either.
I want you to tell me all about Cum
berland. where this brother Of yours
lives. He doesn't tell us half enough"
John passed his arm through his
brothers and led him away.
"Come and have Il wash, old chap"
he said.
They dined together at Luigl's, a
curiously assorted Philosophy. be-
tween the two men, supplying n dis
tinctly alien note. She was always
gay. always amusing, but although she
addressed most of her remarks to
Stephen. he never once unbent. He ate
and drank simply, seldom speaking OF
himself or his plans, and firmly mega
living all their suggestions for the re-
mainder of the evening. Occasionally
he glanced at the clock. John became
conscious OF Il certain feeling Of curl
osity, which In a sense Sophy shared.
"Your brother seems to me like a
man with a purpose" she said, as they
stood in the entrance hall on their way
out of the restaurant. Like Il prophet
with n mission, perhaps I should say"
John nodded. In the little passage
where they stood. he and Stephen
to dwarf the ~passcrs-by. The
men, in their evening clothes and pallid
fnces. seemed suddenly insignificant,
and the women like dolls.
"For the last time. Stephen" John
said. won't you come to a music hall
with us?"
II have made my plans for the W
ming. thank you" Stephen replied,
holding out his hand. Good night"
He left them standing there and
walked off down the Strand. John. look
ing after him, frowned. He vas con
scious of a certain f~orehoding.
Il suppose" Sophy sighed, as they
waited for a taxicab, 1--WE shall spend
the remainder Of the evening in the
usual fashion"
"Do you mind?" John asked.
NO" she assented resignedly. THAT
play will end by making Il driving
Idiot of me. II Louise is tired tonight,
though, I warn you that l shall insist
upon supper"
Its a bargain John promised.
well drive Louise home, and then I'll
take you back to L.uigi's. We haven't
been out together for some time, have
we?"
She looked up at him with a little
grimace and patted his hand.
"You have neglected me-" she said.
II think all these fine ladies have
turned your head"
She drew Il little closer to him and
passed her arm through his. John
made no responsive movement. He was
tilled with resentment ut the sensation
Of pleasure that her a%ffectionnte ges-
ture gave him.
The curtain was up and the play In
progress when they reached the box
that John had taken for the season.
The spell Of it MI, against which he
had Sc often fought, came over John
nnew. He set his chair back against
the wall and watched and listened, a
vcritable sense Of hypnotism creeping
over his senses Presently the same
impulse which had come to him so
many times before induced him to turn
his head, to read in the faces of the au.
dience the reflection Of her genius. He
had often watched those long lines OF
faces changing, each in Its own way,
under the magic Of her art. Tonight
he looked beyond. He knew very well
that his search had a special object.
Suddenly he grlpped the arms of his
chair. In the front row Of the pit, sit.
ting head and shoulders taller than the
men and women who lounged oyer the
wooden rest In front Of them, was
Stephen. More than ever, among these
inappropriate surroundings, he seemed
to represent something almost patri.
nrchal, Il %forbidding and Disappearing
spirit sitting in judgment upon SOM
modern and unworthy wantonness. HI.
face. stern and grave, showed littl,
sign Of approval or disapproval, but Il
Johns experimenting eyes the critica
sense was there, the verdict fore
doomed. lie understood as in a fiasl
that stephen had come there to judg
once more the woman whom his broth
or desired.
The curtain went up again and tn
play moved on. with subtle yet inevita
bic dramatic power, toward the hate
and dreaded crisis.
The play came to ar end present.,
amid n storm Of applause. The grIt
figure In the front Of the pit RENAME
motionless md silent. He was one q
the last to leave. and John watched HI
%retreating figure with II sigh. Soph
drew him away.
I'VE Ind better hurry round" sh
said. Louise Is always very quick re