The Benson signal., 1918-01-26

LUZ SlleuCe, anu SCruClulZeu Tue now
motionless group ON the stage.
"We're one shy" he said. "Who's
missing?" And then answered his own
question: "Grant!" He wheeled
around and his eyes searched the hall.
Rose became aware, for the first
time, that 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 di
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 deliberation at the
sound of the directors voice, but she
still had her back to him and went on
talking to the man.
"Grantw said John Galbraith again
and this time his voice had cutting
edge. "Will you take your place ON
the stage, or shall suspend rehearsal
until you're reauyV
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, it seemed, until it was
ludicrouS sort of run. Presently she
emerged upon the stage, looking rath-
er artifcially 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 a 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 a woman sit
ting in a 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 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 duch-
ess had provoked were still visible
about her mouth when he came up.
"May ! wait and see Mr.. Galbraith
after the rehearsal?" she asked. 'If
won't be in the way?"
"Surc," said the young man. HE
won't be long now. He's been rehears-
ing since two" Then, rather explo-
sively, "Have a chair"
He struck Rose as being a little
fiustered and uncertain somehow.
It was long hour that Rose sat
there in little folding chair-an hour
that, in spite of all her will could do,
took some Of the crispness out of her
courage.
When at last, a little after six
o'clock, Galbraith said: Quarter to
eight, everybody" and dismissed them
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 afloat on.
It 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 was
talking to him now, about her and the
duchess evidently, for he peered out
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 to
meet him. Rose didn't hear what the
duchess said. But when John Gal
braith answered her, his voice easily
filed the room; 'You tell Mr.. Pike,
if that's his name, we haven't any
vacancies in the chorus at present. If
we find we need you, we can let you
know"
He said it not unkindly, but he ex-
ercised some power Of making it evil
dent that as he finished speaking,
the duchess, for him, simply ceased to
exist. Then, with disconcerting sud-
denness, he looked straight at Rose
and said: "What do. you want?"
She'd thought him tall, but he
wasn't. He was looking on perfect
level into her eyes.
IT want a job in the chorus" said
Rose.
"You heard what said to that 9TH
er woman, supposed"
eyes," said Rose, "but :"
"But you thought you'd let me say
it to you again."
eyes," she said. And, Queerly