The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-02-28
CHAPTER XVII.
Rose Keeps the Path.

saw a bar OF music except what stood
on the piano rack, nor a written word
Of the lyrics she was supposed TO sing.
Rose couldn't sing very much. She
had rather a timorouS, throaty little
contralto that Contrastcd oddly with
the fine, free thrill of her speaking
voice. But nobody had asked her
whether she could sing ut 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
haphnzardncss, and was told hat back
Mt 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 a dozen m~imeograph 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 n pale-haired girl, whom
ANpot Nioubht ~ huu ii'uiu huiAt ooSN
us Larson.
Rose made n surprising discovery
when, with q 9ciendly pat on the sofa
beside her, for IN invitation to Sit
down, the girl began answering her
question. She was q real beauty. Only
you had to look twice at her to per-
ceive hat this was so; and what she
lacked was just the unana!yzable quail
ity that makes lool; twice.
II don't know what you should wor-
ry about any OF that stuff for" she
said. "lIOw you sing or what you sing
don't make much difference
Rose admitted that it didn't seem
to. But you see" she said (she
hadn't had n human soul to talk to
for more than a week, and she had to
make n friend Of somebody, you see
I've just got to keep this job. And
IL every little helps, as they say, per-
haps that would"
The girl looked at her oddly, almost
suspiciOusly, as IL for n moment She
doubted whether Rose had spoken ia
good fuith. you've got IS good o
chance of losing your job" she said,
"as Galbraith has Of losing his. Dave
tells me Gnlbraith's going TO put you
with us in the seXtcttc."
Dave was the thick pianist, whom
Rose had found in the highest degree
obnoxious. His announcement was en-
titled to consideration, even thou-h it
couldn't be banked upon. There were
three mediums AMI three big girls in
the scXtctte Uidna Larson was one of
the mediums, and so needn't fear re-
placement by Rose. who was Il big
girl). Besides appearing in two mum
bers as a background to II OF the
principals, they had one all to them
selves, a fact which constituted them
II sort of supcr-chorus.
But the intimution 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, us
Larson told her about Il, 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.
IL haven't heard anything about be-
Ing put in the seNtette," she said quick
ly, land l don't believe | will be-"
"Well, / don't know why not" There
was a new warmth In the mediums
voice. Rose had won n Victory here,
and she knew It. you've got the
looks and the shape; you can dance
better than any of the big girls, or US
mediums, either. And II he doesn't
put that big Benedict lemon into the
back line where she belongs, and give
you her place In the sextette, 1t will be
because he's afraid Of her drag"
Rose forebore 10 inquire into the
nature Of the Benedict girls drag.
Whatever 1t may have been. John
Galbraith was evidently not afraid OF
1t, 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 10 report Mt the earlier hour.
The chorus was probably unanimous,
In Its view of this promotion. When
Grant came back and ate her humble
pie Ia vain, and later, when Benedict
was relegated 10 q place In the back
line, the natural explanation IA that
Galbraith was crazy about the new
girl. The only way she had of refut-
ing the assumption would be by max
Ing good so intensely that they'd
be compelled TO see that her promo
ton had been inevitable.
It was In this spirit, with blazing
cheeks and eyes, that she attacked
the next mornings rehearsal. At It's
end Galbraith said to her: "You're do
Ing very well indeed, Dane. If l could
have caught you ten years age / could
have made a dancer Of you"
II was a very real, unqualified com
pliment. and as such Rose understood
II. Because, by a dancer. he meant