The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-07-13

Tor silence, anu SCEuliuilcu thc A~'
motionless group on the stage.
"We're one shy" he said. who's
mIssingf" And then answered his own
question: Grant r. He wheeled
around and his eyes searched the hall.
Rose became aware, for the first
time, that a mutter Of conversation had
been going on necessarily since she
had come In, In one of the recessed
window seats behind her. Now when
GalbraIth's gaze plunged In that d.
rection, she turned and looked too.
A big blonde chorus girl was In there
with man, girl who. with twenty
pounds trained off her, and that sulky
look out of her face, would have been
beauty. She had reused herself with
sort of defiant elaboration at the
sound of the directors voice, but she
still had her back to him and went ON
talking to the man.
"Granti' said John Galbraith again
and this time his voice had a cutting
edge. "Will you take your place on
the stage, or shall suspend rehearsal
until you're readyT
For answer she turned and began
walking slowly across the room. She
started walking slowly, but under Gal
braith's eye she quickened her pace,
involuntarily, 1t seemed, until it was
ludicrous sort of run. Presently she
emerged upon the stage, looking rath-
er artificially unconcerned, and the re-
hearsal went on again.
But just before he gave the signal
to the pianist to go ahead Galbraith
with nod summoned q young man
from the wings and said something to
him, whereupon, clearly carrying out
his orders, he vaulted down from the
stage and came walking toward the
doorway where Rose was still stand
ing.
But he didn't come straight to her /:
he brought up before woman sit.
ting In q folding chair little farther
along the wall, who drew herself de-
fensively erect when she saw him turn
toward her, assumed look of calculat-
ed disdain, tapped a foot-gave, on
the whole, an imitation of a duchess
being kept waiting.
But the limp young man didn't seem
disconnected, and inquired in SO many
words what her business was. The
duchess said in a harsh, high voice
that she wanted to see the director
very particular friend of his had
begged her to do so.
you'll have to wait till he's through
rehearsing," said the young man, and
then he came over to Rose.
The vestiges of the smile the Ouch.
ess had provoked were still visible
about her mouth when he came up
May ! wait and see Mr.. Galbraitt
after the rehearsal?" she asked. 'Ii
l won't be in the way?'
| Sure" said the young man. t'Ht
won't be long now. He's been rehears
ing since two" Then, rather explo
sively, slave chair"
He struck Rose as being little
flustered and uncertain somehow.
1t was long hour that Rose sal
there in a little folding chair-an houl
that, in spite of all her will could do
took some of the crispness out of hel
courage.
| When at last, a little after ST,
o'clock, Galbraith said: Quarter t.
eight, everybody" and dismissed then
with nod for a scurry to what were
evidently dressing rooms at the Other
side of the hall, the ship of Roses
hopes had utterly gone to pieces. She
had plank to keep herself afioat on
1t was The determination to stay there
until he should tell her in so many
words that he hadn't any use for her
The deprecatory young man wa.
talking to him now, about her and the
duchess evidently, for he peered ou
into the hall, then vaulted down from
the stage and came toward them.
The duchess got up, and, with {
good deal of manner, went over Il
meet him. Rose didn't hear what the
duchess said. But when John Gal
braith answered her, his voice easil,
filled the room; "You tell Mr.. Pike
if that's his name. we haven't an,
vacancies in the chorus at present. Il
we find we need you. we can let 70,
know"
He said 1t not unkindly. but he ex
ercised some power of making it eyi
dent that as he finished speaking
the duchess, for him, simply ceased tC
exist. Then, with disconcerting sud
denness, he looked straight at Rose
and said: ''What do you want?"
She'd thought him tall, but hi
wasn't. He was looking on a perfect
level into her eyes.
Il want job in the chorus" sale
Rose.
"You heard what said to that 9th
er woman. SUPPOSED"
i Yes" said Rose, "but :"
but you thought you'd let me say
it to you again"
'Yes," she said. And, queerl,
enough, she felt her courage coming
back.
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