The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-07-20
know that 1t was the highest enco-
MUM he was capable Of.
CHAPTER XVII.
Rose Keeps the Path.

Rose couldn't sing very much. She
had rather timorous, throaty little
contralto that contrasted oddly with
the fine, free thrill of her speaking
voice. But nobody had asked her
whether she could sing Mt all. She
picked up the tune quickly enough by
ear. but the words she was always a
little uncertain about.
She finally questioned one of her
colleagues In the chorus about this
haphazardness, and was told that back
at the beginning Of things, they had
had their voices tried by the musical
director. They had never had any
music to sing from: there had been
half dozen mimeograph copies of
| the words to the songs, which the
| girls had put their heads together
over, and more or less learned. What
had become of this dope the girl
didn't know.
She was a pale-haired girl, whom
Rose thought she had heard addressed
ais Larson.
Rose made surprising discovery
when, with friendly pat on the sofa
l bNoiuE DtIg lOE un inNllullOn W cll
down, the girl began answering her
question. She was real beauty. Only
you had to look twice at her to per-
ceive that this was so and what she
lacked was just the unanalyzable quail
ity that makes one look twice.
II don't know what you should wor-
ry about any of that stuff for" she
said. "How you sing or what you sing
don't make much difference"
Rose admitted that 1t didn't seem
to. "But you see" she said (she
hadn't had human soul to talk to
for more than week, and she had to
make friend of somebody, you see
I've just got to keep this job. And
lf every little helps, as they say, per-
haps that would"
The girl looked ut her oddly, almost
susplclously, as II for moment she
doubted whether Rose had spoken in
good faith. you've got as good a
chance of losing your job" she said,
"as Galbraith has Of losing his. Dave
tells me Galbraith's going to put you
with us in the sextette."
Dave was the thick pianist, whom
Rose had found In the highest degree
obnoxious. His announcement was en-
titled to consideration, even though it
couldn't be banked upon. There were
i three mediums and three big girls in
the sextette (Edna Larson was one of
the mediums, and 50 needn't fear re-
placement by Rose, who was big
girl). Besides appearing in two num-
bers as background to one of the
principals, they had one all to them
selves, fact which constituted them
a sort OF super-chorus.
But the intimation that Rose was to
be promoted to this select inner cir
Gle, didn't, as 1t first came to her,
give her any pleasure. Somehow. as
Larson told her about 1t, she could
fairly see the knowing, greasy grin
that would have been Dawes comment
on this prophecy. And, In the same
flash, she interpreted the Larson girls
look, half incredulous, half satirical.
II haven't heard anything about be-
ing put In the sextette," she said quick
ly, "and don't believe will be-"
swell, don't know why not" There
was new warmth In the mediums
voice. Rose had won victory here,
and she knew Ii. you've got the
looks and the shape; you can dance
better than any OF the big girls, or us
mediums, either. And IL he doesn't
put that big Benedict lemon into the
back line where she belongs, and give
you her place in the sextette, it will be
because he's afraid of her drag"
Rose forehore to inquire into the
nature OF the Benedict girls drag
: Whatever 1t may have been, John
Galbraith was evidently not afraid OF
it, because as he dismissed that very
rehearsal, calling the rest of the
chorus for twelve the following morn.
ing and the sextette for eleven, he
told Rose to report at the earlier hour.
The chorus was probably unanimous
in its view of this promotion. When
Z Grant came back and ate her humble
pie in vain. and later, when Benedict
: was relegated to a place in the back
line, the natural explanation was that
Galbraith was crazy about the new
: girl. The only way she had of refut
e ing the assumption would be by max
: ing good so intensely that they'C
t be compelled to see that her promo
t ton had been inevitable.
$ 1t was in this spirit, with blazing
!, cheeks and eyes, that she attacked
g the next mornings rehearsal. At it.
end Galbraith said to her: you're do
8 ing very well indeed, Dane. If 1 coult
1t have caught you ten years ago coult
It have made dancer of you"
Z 1t was very real, unqualified com
1t pliment, and as such Rose understood
t it. Because, by dancer, he mean