Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-11-01
CHAPTER XXI.
The End in sioht.

| tHS. Enc IN sight,
Barnes, soaring beyond all previous
heights of exaltation, ranged dizzily
between 'front' and "back" at the
Grand opera house that evening. He
was in the "wings" with her, whisper
ing in her delighted ear; in the Dress
ing-room, listening to her soft words
of encouragement to the excited lead
ing lady; on the narrow stairs leading
up to the stage, assisting her to mount
them; and all the time he was dread
ing the moment when he would awake
and find it all dream.
There was an annoying fly in his
ointment, however. 81 love YOU" she
had said simply. II want more than
anything else in all the world to be
your wife. But I cannot promise now.
l must have time to think, time to"
'Why should you require more time
than II" he persisted. "What is time
to us? Why make wanton waste Of
itT"
Il know that cannot find happiness
except with you," she replied. mo
matter what happens to me, 1 shall
always love you, 1 shall never forget
the Joy of this. Butt cannot prom
Use now" she finished gently and
kissed him.
Between the second and third acts
Tommy Gray rushed back with the
box-office statement. The gross was
1859. The instant that fact became
known to Mr.. Rushcroft he informed
Barnes that they had knockout" a
gold mine, and that never in all his
career had he known a season to start
OFF so auspiciously as this one.
Three days later Barnes and "Miss
Jones" said farewell to the strollers
and boarded day train for New York
| city. They left the company IN a con-
dition of prosperity. The show was
averaging two hundred dollars nightly
and Mr.. Rushcroft was already book
ing return engagements for the early
fall. He was looking forward to q
tour of Europe at the close of the war.
Barnes sister, Mrs. Courtney, met
them at the Grand Central terminal.
TITS now q quarter to FIVE" said
Barnes after the greeting and presen-
tation. Drop me at the Fifth Avenue
bank, Edith. I want to leave some
thing in my safety box downstairs.
Sha'n't be more than five minutes"
He got down from the automobile
at Forty-fourth street and shot across
the sidewalk into the bank, casting
quick, apprehensive glances through
the five o'clock crowd on the avenue
as he sprinted. In his hand he lugged
the heavy, weatherbeaten pack. His
sister and the countess stared after
him in amazement.
Presently he emerged from the bank,
still carrying the bag. He was beam
ing. A certain worried, haggard ex-
preston had vanished from his face,
and for the first time in eight hours
he treated his travelling wardrobe with
scOrn and indifference.
"Thank God, they're off my mind,
at last" he cried. "That is the first
good, long breath I've had in a week.
No, not now. It's a long story and
would be extremely annoying to have
both Of you die of heart failure with
all these people looking on"
He felt her hand on his arm, and
knew that she was looking at him
with wide, incredulous eyes, but he
faced straight ahead. He was ter
ribly afraid that the girl beside him
was preparing to shed tears Of Joy
and relief. He could feel her search
ing in her jacket pocket for a hand
kerchief.
Mrs. Courtney was not only curl
Gus but apprehensive. She hadn't the
faintest idea who Miss Cameron was,
nor where her brother had picked her
up. But she saw at a glance that
she was lovely, and her soul was filled
with strange misgivings. She was like
all sisters who have pet bachelor
brothers. She hoped that poor Tom
hadn't gone and made a fool Of him
self.
The few minutes conversation she
had with the stranger only served to
increase her alarm. Miss CamerOn's
voice and smile-and her eyes were
positively alluring.
She had had night letter from Tom
that morning In which he said that he
was bringing a young lady friend down
from the north-and would she meet
them at the station and put her up
for a couple Of days2 That was all
she knew of the dazzling stranger up
to the moment she saw her. Immadi-
atsly after that she knew by intuition
a great deal more aboHt her than Tom