The Benson signal., 1918-02-09

out, or others that will do as we'll, at
Lessing's. I think that saving will be
decisive with them"
"But do you know costumer"
Rose asked.
you're the costumer," said Gal
braith. "You design the costumes, buy
the fabrics, superintend the making of
them. AS for the woman you speak
of, We'll get the wardrobe mistress
at the Globe. happen to know she's
competent, and she's at loose end
just now, because her show is closing
when ours opens. You'll buy the fab
RIGS and you'll pay her. And what profit
you can make out of the deal, you're
entitled to. I'll finance you myself. If
they won't take what we show them,
why, you'll be out your time and
trouble, and I'll be out the price Of
materials and the woman's labor"
'T don't think it would be fair" she
said, and she found difficulty in speak
ing at all because Of sudden dispo-
sition of her teeth to chatter-'T don't
think it would be fair for me to take
all the profit and you take all the
risk"
"Well, T can't take any profit, that's
clear enough" he said; and she no.
ticed now a tfnge Of amusement in his
voice. "You see I'm retained-body
and soul-to put this production over.
I can't make money out of those fell
lows on the side. But you're not re-
tanned. You're employed as member
Of the chorus. And, so far, you're not
even paid for the work you're doing.
So long as you work to my satisfaction
there on the stage, nothing more can
be asked Of you. AS for the risk, I
don't believe it's serious. don't think
you'll fall down on the job, and don't
believe Goldsmith and Block will
throw away a chance to save some
money"
And then he pressed her for an i'm
mediate decision. The job would be a
good deal of a scramble at best, as the
time was short. They had reached the
Randolph street end Of the avenue, and
a policeman, like Moses cleaving the
Red sea, had opened way through
the tide Of motors for a throng Of pc
deStrianS.
"Come across here" said Galbraith,
taking her by the arm and stemming
this current with her. 'We've got to
have minute Of shelter to finish this
up in," and he led her into the north
lobby of the public library. The stale,
baked air Of the place almost made
them gasp. But, anyway, it was quiet
and altogether deserted. They could
hear themselves think in there, he said,
and led the way to marble bench
alongside the staircase.
Rose unpinned her veil and, to his
surprise, because Of course she was
going in minute, put it into her ulster
pocket. But, curiously enough, the
sight Of her face only intensified an
impression that had been strong upon
him during the last part of their walk
1.-The impression that she was long
way off. It wasn't the familiar con-
| templative brown study, either. There
was an active, eager excitement about
1t that made it more beautiful than
he had ever seen it before. But it
was as if she were looking at some
thing he couldn't see-listening to
words he couldn't hear.
"Well," he said a little impatiently,
"are you going to do it?"
And at that the glow Of her was
turned fairly upon him. eyes," she
said, "I'm going to do it. I suppose ]
mustn't thank you," she went on, "be-
cause you say it isn't anything you're
doing for me. But it is-a great thing
for me-greater-than could tell you.
And won't fail. You needn't be
afraid"
He counted out hundred and twen-
ty dollars, which he handed over to
her. She folded it and put it away in
her wristbag. The glow Of her hadn't
faded, but once more it was turned on
something someone-else. 1t wasn't
until he rose little abruptly from the
marble bench that she reused herself
with a shake Of the head, arose too,
and once more faced him.
you're right about our having to
hurry" she said, and before he could
find the first Of the words he wanted,
she had given him that curt farewell
nod which from the first had stirred
and warmed him, and turned away
toward the door.
And she had never seen what was
fairly shining in his face.
| She couldn't, Of course, have missed
thing as plain as that but for a COM
plete preoccupation Of thought and
feeling that would have left her OBJ
livious to almost anything that could
happen to her.
The flaming vortex Of thoughts,
hopes, desires which enveloped her
was so intense as almost to evoke a
sense Of the physical presence Of the
subject Of them-of that big, powerful
minded, clean-souled husband of hers,
who loved her so rapturously, and who