Evening star., 1917-09-09

copy of the scenario in his hand and
stopped under window to look it over
again. 1t might have been the work OF
schoolboy. He was still looking at
the manuscript when Kitty French
came down the hall from the street en-
trance on her way to take part in the
matinee. He waved the manuscript by
way Of greeting.
She smiled faintly Are Won ba ok
at your old business?" she asked.
Its the scenario of Richardson :
play for Trewyck'
Kitty stopped; her heart was beating
violently. Was it possible that he could
write, after all? She held out her hand
May l see it?"
lf you won't tell Griswold"
is he Sc despotic as that"
He hates it"
"oh"-she glanced at the open
sheets is Trewyck going to do it?''
Moylan laughed. You ask Ciriswold
I'm afraid to-"
She hesitated. but somewhere in the
theater bell began TO ring, and she
hurried on I'm late" she called bac
over her shoulder. tTll look it over
between acts"
In her dressing room she had lust
time TO change her dress and look over
the manuscript She discovered that
II really was 'drtveL" She laid rb.
manuscript down with groan. II was
hothlng, not even the skeleton of a
play. =
moment later her call came. and
she went out on the stage with a fun
heart. to play the great part The, priS-
oher had written. Suddenly she start
ed ana almost missed her lines, for her
eyes had met those of Joe Gadsden. He
was there. not very far away. and he
watched her as If, TO him, she was the
only character in the play. The shock
OF recognition unnerved her for a mo-
ment' then she drew breath of relief
10
, 10 see her again in the part he had
made for her She thought of all h..
had suffered, all he was still suffering
and her swift fear for Richardson van
ished. She began to play the great
role of Mary Brooke as she had never
played it before
When ii was over. ana the curtain
raised many times for applause-at last
fell on the play, she dragged herself
back TO her dressing room. worn out
and in tears
AT the stage door Richardson met
her He had been waiting for her and
he did not know that GadSden was out
of prison. Since the day when She had
broken their engagement Kitty had
steadily refused to see him. but today
II was impossible to escape. She knew
that he had never given up. and, fear
ing that he might be waiting for her.
she had purpoSely arranged for a taxi
cab to wait for her and for her maid
Richardson went across the entry with
her
Kitty, will you never listen to me-
She shook her head. How can -"
she said simply. "Oh, Jack, can't you
do what's right"
He frowned. why are YOU so will
ing to believe that fellow against me-"
Because | can't help it. II wish
I could" She colored family.
He saw 1t, Kitty. you-you care
for that drunkard"
She made no reply: they had already
crossed the vestibule. and her hand
on the door. Richardson reached
across and laid his hand on the latch
checking her progress.
Kitty. it's-it's everything to me.
viii YOU marry me if-if l should give
the whole thing UP, let that beg@ar
have Though I'll never admit that
it's his"
No" she said slowly; mo. lack.
never. 1--we changed | can't help
it any more than l can helr the sun
rising l could never make You happy.
It's overall over"
He turned white. There was another
moment of silence. then he opened the
door and helped her into the cab.
The soft spring sunshine Hooded the
wide thoroughfare: the throhbing life
of the great city swept past him. Be
hind him the window was open. and
suddenly he heard Griswold's stem
torian voice in his office He was ad-
dressing Moylan-Moylan. the long
suffering elect
II tell you that fellows mutton
head! He can't write a rlav for Ire
wyck. Write plays? BY Godfrew, he'd
better sell peanuts!"
CHAPTER XIV.
Kitty did not go directly home. She
had some errands to do, and it was
late afternoon before she made her
Way down the long anartment-house
hall to her own door. Her mother met
her.
Kitty she whispered, "Joe-Joe
Gadsden is in the parlor. He wants
to see you, and 1 hadn't the he.-i %
say nc. lie looks so ill., Kitty, haa44