Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-30
CHAPTER VI.
The Late Extra.

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
1t 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 overthrown and altogether shat
tered in 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 a 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 tc admit that, dsmning "a was the
evidence to controvert the theory,
Drummond might be just as much in
the dark as Max was. 1t was only fair
tc suspend judgment. In the mean
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-clapping and
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. It
was plain 10 those nearest the stage
that he was seriously disturbed. There
was noticeable hesitancy in his man
ner. a pathetic frenzy in his habitually
mild and lustrous eyes. Advancing
halfway to the middle of the apron, he
paused, begging attention with pudgy
hand. It was a full minute before the
\ lat h ha III
.Iadies and gentlemen" he an.
fnounced plaintively. II much regret to
inform you that Miss Law has suf-
fered 4 severe nervous shock"
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 beading his pertuzbed forehead
"regret impossible to
continue -. money -. box
ONCE
An angry howl drowned him out. He
retreated at accelerated discretion.
Whitaker, slipping through the stage
door behind the boxes, ran into the
stage manager standing beside the hrst
entrance, heatedly explaining to any
one who would listen the utter futility
Of Offering box.ohice prices in return
for seat checks which In the majority
!. OF instances had cost their holders top
notch Spectator prices.
aThey'll wreck the theatsr." he
shouted excitsdly. hopping his brow
with his coat sleeve, what t'ell'd she
wanna pull a raw one like this for?"
whitaker caught his arm in grasp
compelling attention.
"Where's Miss Lawi" he asked.
II dunno-go ask Max"
"Where ID he7'
.sYou can search me; last saw Of
him he was tearing the star dressin'
room up BY the roots'
Whitaker hurried on just In time to
see Max disappearing in the direction
Of the stage door, at which point he
caught up with him, and from the
\ managers disjointed catechism Of the
.doorkeeper garnered the information
4 that the star had hurried out Of the
buildinE while Max was making his
announcement before the curtain.
Ma1 swung angrily upon Whitaker.
'.Oh, It's you. 10 1T Perhaps you can
explain what this meansf She was
looking straight at you when she dried
upl / saw her-"
.Perhaps you'd better nnd Miss Law
and ask her." Whitaker Interrupted.
Have you any idea where she's
4 gomez.
Home, probably" Max snapped in
return.
"Come on, then Passing his arm
through the managers, Whitaker drew
him out into the alley. We'll set q
taxi before this mob"
5."But, look here--what business've
you got mixing int
..Ask Miss Law" said Whitaker,
shortly. It had been on the tip of his
tongue to tell the man fatty: I'm her
husband" But he retained wit enough
to deny himself the satisfaction of this
shattering rejoinder. u know her" he
4 added; 'that's enough for the pres
eI,t." ~
At the entrance to the alley Max
!. paused to listen to the uprOar within
: his well-beloved theater.