The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1917-03-16
,itivc. pCtulnnt moue "An:! it's LEs

Gitivc, pctulant moue . "AnI? its rEs
fauIt?"
"Therc's no use n1inciAg matters, Is
there? | am not heartbroken, and if
I am bitterly disappointed l don't care
to-in fact, lack the ability to drama
tie t."
"You are taking it we'll, Hugh?" said
she, critical.
Expressionless, he waited an instant
before inquiring pointedly: "Well?''
Deliberately laying aside her light
muff, her scarf and handbag, she rose
equality of poise was impossible if he
would persist in standing. She moved
little nearer.
Hugh" she said in voice Of sin.
cerity, "Fm awfully sorry-truly
ami"
He made no reply; waited.
"Perhaps I'm wrong" she went on,
''but think most women would have
spared themselves this meeting"
"Themselves and the man." he ia-
terjected dryly.
Don't be cross, Hugh. 1 had
to come. / had to explain myself.
wanted you to understand. Hugh, II
She was twisting her hands together
with a manner denoting great mental
strain. Of q sudden she checked and
dropped them, limp and open by her
sides. "You see," she said with the
apologize smile, 'Tm trying not to
act"
"Oh," he said in tone of dawning
comprehension-"so that's It'll"
"I'm afraid so, Hugh. I'm
dreadfully sorry for you-poor boy =
but I'm afraid that's the trouble with
me, and it can never be helped. l was
born with talent for acting; life has
made me an actress. Hugh
I've found out something" Her eyes
appealed wistfully. "I'm not genu-
ine."
Hesnodded interestedly.
"I'm Just an actress, an instrument
for the music of emotions. I've been
trained to respond, until now I re-
spond without knowing it, when there's
no true response here" She touched
the bosom of her frock.
He said nothing.
With a half sigh she moved away
to the window.
"Of course you despise me. [ de-
spise myself mean, the self that
was me before turned from a woman
into an actress But it's the truth:
have no longer any real capacity for
emotion, merely an infinite capacity
for appreciation of the artistic delinea-
tion Of emotion, true or feigned. That
that is why, when you showed
me you had grown to love me so, |
responded so quickly. You were in
love-more honestly than | had ever
seen love revealed. 1t touched me.
was proud to have inspired such a
love- I wanted, for the time being, to
have you with me always, that might
always study the wonderful, the
beautiful manifestations of your love.
Why, Hugh. you even managed to
make me believe | was worth it-that
my response was sufficient repayment
for your alteration.
He said nothing. She glanced f1lr-
lively at him and continued:
81 meant to be sweet and faithful
when left that note for you on the
yacht, Hugh; l was grateful, and /
meant to be generous. B2t
when | went to the Waldorf, the first
person l met was Max. Of course
had to tell him what had happened.
And then he threw himself upon my
compassion. 1t seems that losing me
had put him in the most terrible
trouble about money. He was short,
and he couldn't get the backing he
needed without me, his call upon my
services, by way of assurance to his
hackers. And l began to think. ]
knew l didn't love you honestly, Hugh,
and that life with you would be liv-
ing lie What right had I to deceive
you that way, just to crafty my love
of being loved? And especially if by
doing that l ruined Max, the man to
whom, next to you, | owed every.
thing? | couldn't do it. But | took
time to think it over-truly l did.
really did go to Il sanatorium, and
rested there while l turned the whole
matter over carefully in my mind, and
at length reached my decision to stick
by Max and let yoh go, free to win the
heart of woman worthy of you"