Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-09-04

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Hln NnnlHE
who was she7 Whittier was she 20
ing; whence she had come7 The
meeting had been 80 unlocked for, It
appeared to be such very story of
marvels that the man would not, dare
not even now, believe in his good for.
tune. For three years, often by day
and night, he had been dreaming OF
an hour when he would find the daugh-
ter of the man who had consigned a
father to a living grave and compelled
the son to vagrant life. And here,
in q London street. he met her face
TO face-not by his own desire or
cleverness. but by one Of those acci-
dents which are the true tragedies Of
life. Never for single moment did
he doubt that she was the woman he
sought He had come to England,
guarding as precious possession a
miniature painting which had been
found among his fathers effects. The
face which he had so often looked
upon in that little picture was most
certainly the face he had seen for one
brief instant in the Strand this night.
Eyes, expression, the shape OF the
characteristic mouth, the tiny ears,
the coal-black hair, how familiar they
seemed to him. She Is Forrester's
daughter" he said and walked the
faster for the thought.
1t was an easy task, for the girl
had no idea that anyone followed her.
Crossing the street by St. Martins
Church, she passed the National Gal
lery at the same swift walk; and
neither looking to the right nor to the
left, she made straight for Pail Mall
and the Carlton Hotel there. At the
FIRST hazard, Count Odin believed that
this was her destination, q fact which
puzzled him not a little; but she
passed the hotel without q glance at
its doors and going on up the Hay
market, turned suddenly into one Of
the little courts there and was in
stantly lost to his view. In his turn,
he recognized the place at glance.
and as though both relieved and en-
lightened stood a moment upon the
pavement to debate the situation.
80" he said to himself, my lady
girl7 Well, We shall soon find that
out"
He strolled up the narrow alley,
and coming to a broad double door Of
wood, saw written above 1t In big red
letters, STAGE DOOR," and, on a
bell below, the words Carlton The
atre." The comparative quiet Of the
scene, the few people about, and the
darkness of the passage beyond, the
door told him that rehearsal was in
progress and not an actual perform
ance. When he read the bill of the
play, affixed to dirty board. he learn
ed that on the following Wednesday
evening, at eight-thirty precisely, Mr..
Charles lizard would present Eta
Romney In the new play "Haddon
Hail." by Constant Hayter. Not much
of playgOer, though recognized fire.
quenter of those houses devoted to
musical comedy, the Count asked HIM
self If he had ever heard the name
of Eta Romney before He could not
remember to have done so-but,
while he stood there. the stage door.
keeper came out to smoke pipe In
the alley, and to him the Count ad-
dressed himself with that disregard
of diplomatic approach which is a
habit of the dubious adventurer.
"The young lady who just went in
i think she is friend of mine"
"Ah," said the stage door-keeper,
without taking his pipe from his lips.
"lf you could tell me her name, !
would send In my card"
mo doubt you would" said the
stage doorkeeper.
Nonplussed, the Count stroked his
mustache a little viciously and began
to tumble in his trousers pocket.
mo good" said the stage door.
keeper, anticipating the offer, and
then bridling up as he recognized the
kind of man he had to do with. he ex'
claimed peremptorily:
Come, it's time you went home to
dinner, amt It; you look hungry
enough"
u was going to give you five shil-
lings." said the Count
"You keep 'em for your poor old
mother In the workhouse," said the
stage doorkeeper, and he went within
and slammed the dOOrs-a hint that
even Count Odin could not mistake.
Far from being disturbed at this
honest rebuff the Count, with an ad.
venturer's ready resource. strolled
round to the front Of the theatre and
consulted the play-bills there on the
off-chance that one of them would en-
tighten him. The bOx-Office was
closed at this hour, but framed photo.
graphs of the company engaged for
the new play, "Haddon Hail." decorat'
ed the pillars of the vestibule; while
large picture, full-length and con-
spiculously displayed. presented" the
heroine, Miss Eta Romney, to such
of the courteous as should care to take
their stand before It, Hardly had the
Count glanced at the photograph when
+ he recognized the original Of 1t to be
the young girl whom he had just left
ut the stage-door.
TN