Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-26
The Dailv
Short Story
THE DOUBLE PART.
BY Charles Powers Brennan

nfe to save you from the shower ANU
the mud?"
you are most kind" spoke IA.
beautiful young girL allowing bis
TO assist her into the machine. sYsn
know my name?"
I'm this narrow little coun,..
world VINO does not?' intimate
Andre. Especially the childrar
My landlady'5 three speak Of vos
a dozen times day"
Yes, 1 know" nodded Miss Al
bert Dear little totsl / came bssa
to rest. but the little ones havs
ben an inspiration Of interest
have heard Of you, too. You ars
Mr. Warren. who makes bir6
houses for children, and does An
kinds OF nice, helpful things FOR
them. They are loyal. grateful
friends. Mr.. Warren Would | bs
disappointed if / hope you womb
help me out in a little party | an
going to give the children Of the
neighborhood this afternoon? The
sun is coming out and the lawns
viii surely be dry by the time nv
guests arrive"
81 can promise little az an enter
tainer," declared Andre modestly
Il shall not call on you in thai
respect" came the bright. smiling
response, for there will be tennis
the swings, music and the Chi.
dren's own games. II you would
help me In the way OF dispensing
the ice cream and other refresh.
mems"
II should be delighted" declared
Warren, and he was. The after.
noon was passed in the company Of
Miss Albert and her juvenile
friends. She was the idol OF hsf
happy guests. He had never seen
such grace and beauty. Fully smit.
ten, after he had taken home the
last of the children in his auto
Audre returned. to find Miss Albert
resting on garden seat.
You look tired out. he said, and
I ventured to hope that you would
enjoy a spin around the lake. and
i'll her frank, friendly way she at
once gratefully assented to the IN
vitation.
He allowed the machine 70 drop
down in sped to mere crawl as
they neared the end Of the four
mile circIing of the lake She had
said something Of the tagged nerves
and a longing for quiet that had
brought her to seek a secluded rest
but nothing in detail OF her own
personality. He was led to apprise
her OF the motive that had brought
him TO the country.
Don't smile at me, Miss Albert
he said, but. / have been foolish
enough to imagine that l have some
literary and dramatic power, and
sought this solitude to write out a
play / had conceived
"A play" she repeated, and she
gave him a quick look In her own
mind there arose the query, Is be
searching me out?" Had the limo
cent, open minded Andre read the
silent thought, however, he could
have furnished no key TO the
enigma.
And then he found an ardent lis
tener TO the details Of the play in
question. He had gone TO an old
theatrical friend in the city with the
bare skeleton OF his conception. He
had ben encouraged at the honest
enthusiasm of the old actor.
Tell you. Warren he had said
you have struck a gem OF an idea
that will make men stronger and
better and women 10 think and ana
lyZe. BY all means perfect il anG
come to me with the finished pro-
duct. You play requires no novice
to mangle your beautiful theme, but
a real soul actress. l know OF one
particularly adapted for the star
part. bur | have heard that, young
as she is. though at the pinnacle oil
her popularity she is thinking OF re-
firing from the stage. ! shall try p
reach her, though by correspond
ence. You are a made man If sue
consents to accept the rendition
She is Helena Baird.
Again Miss Albert studied the
earnest face of Andre as he recllea
these circumstances. Once more lol
z flashing moment a faint susple-
ion Swallowed her eyes. Then sac
dismissed her disquietude. charmed
with the eloquence and ardor OF this
amateur play writer.
How | would like to hear ai
about it," she said. My fathe.
was a playwright, Mr. Warren. ana
II have inherited some OF his pls'
objection for the stage. -
And before that week was over
Andre Warren felt himself in sor,
Of paradise. Daily for seVera,
hours his charming new irisna
would suggest new ideas. alterD.
tions, added force to somesentea1,
thought. More than once sue resl
to him some passage in the pias'
and he would sit thrilled at ue'
perfect delivery.
And then one day love oNerualus
and he told her now ~
her. Il am going to 'aAg
the finished play 10 my theatrlea'
friend in the city" he said. nv
we are successful in having '"'4
Helena Baird in the chief role.
Il am sure she will gladly aS'.p.,
IL fact | know Miss Baird ana VS'
influence her action entirely 80
why. how strang you spear,
marveled Andre You never men
toned 1t before. 80
no. Andre, replied his comps
ion, because | was hiding 49,
secret, l am sure Helena 1" am
will accent the play. because aN
Helena Baird.
the babu brought this evening %. os