Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-10-12

Louise Is most frightfully sorry"
she explained but she has to go down
TO Streatham to open bazaar, and she
can't possibly be back in time to dine
before the theater. Can you guess what
she dared 10 suggest?"
II think I can" John replied. smiling.
"Say you will. there's a dear" she
| begged. 81 am not playing tonight
May Enser Is going on In my place. We
arranged II week ago. 1 had two
| fines to pay on Saturday, and haven't
had decent meal this week. But
had forgotten" she broke off, with a
sudden note of disappointment i'm her
tone. "There's your brother. / mustn't
take you away from him."
"We'll all have dinner together"
John suggested. you'll come, of
course, StephenT
Stephen shook his head.
"Thank you" he said, 81 am due at
my hotel. I'm going back to Cumber-
land tomorrow morning, and my errand
is already done"
"You will do nothing of the sort !"
John declared
'Please 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. eve can go to
grllroom. John sha'n't dress, either.
/ want you TO tell me all about Cum
berland, where this brother of yours
lives. lie doesn't tell us half enough I"
John passed his arm through his
brothers and led him away.
"Come and have wash, old chap"
he said.
They dined together at Luigts, a
curlously assorted trio-Sophy, be-
tween the two men, supplying a 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 q 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 prophet
with mission, perhaps should say"
John nodded. In the little passage
where they stood, he and stephen
seemed to dwarf the passers-by. The
men, in their evening clothes and pallid
faces, seemed suddenly insignificant,
and the women like dolls.
For the last time, Stephen" John
said, won't you come to music hall
with us?"
81 have made my plans for the eve
ming, thank you" stephen replied,
holding out his hand. "Good night -
lie left them standing there and
walked off down the Strand. John, look
ing after him, frowned. He was con-
scious of certain foreboding.
81 suppose" Sophy sighed, as they
waited for taXlcab, "we shall spend
the remainder of the evening in the
usual fashion,"
"Do you mlpd?" John asked.
'No," she assented resignedly. "That
play will end by making a driving
IDIOT of me. If Louise Is tired tonight,
though, / warn you that shall insist
upon supper"
ITS bargain" John promised
Wen drive Louise home, and then I'll
take you back to Lulgi's. We haven't
been out together for some time, have
we"
She looked up at him with little
grimace and patted his hand.
You have neglected me-" she said.
II think all these fine ladies have
turned your head"
She drew little closer to him and
passed her arm through his. John
made no responsive movement. He was
filled with resentment at the sensation
Of pleasure that her aifectionate ges-
lure 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 1t ALL against which he
had so often fought came over John
anew. lie set his chair back against
the wall and watched and listened a
veritable 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 !he reelection of her genius. lie
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 II special object.
Suddenly he gripped the arms of his
chair In the front row of the pit, sit
ting head and shoulders taller than the
men ana women who lOunged over the
wooden rest in front of them. was
stephen, More than ever, among these
inappropriate surroundings he seemed
TO represent something almost patri-
archal, forbidding and disappearing
spirit sitting in judgment upon some
modern and unworthy wantonness. His
face, stern and grave, showed little
sign Of approval or disapproval, but to
To-, A. .,.It.