New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-07-25

Wesley could not be persuaded to
stay over an unnecessary night. His
business was in a perilous condition.
The mammoth COwper firm had gone
into bankruptcy owing him a hand
some sum of money which he was not
likely TO recover. The failure also
closed an important and profitable
market for his calculating machines.
1t frightened his banks as well, and
he had wrestled like another Jacob
with an almost invisible cashier for
money enough to meet his pay roll.
Yet he slipped a large bill into
Daphne's hand when he babe her good
by at the station late In the after
noon, and he whispered to her she
should have other re-enforcements
whenever she called on him.
Daphne reached the theater at seven
o'clock and sat in the dark on a can
vas rock, watching the stage hands
gather and listening to their repartee.
Patterson arrived at length. He was
in n of his humane moods. He asked
Daphne If she had memOriZed her lines
and she said she had. He told her
that he would give her another re-
hearsal the next day after breakfast.
after breakfast" he explained, was
one O'Clock p. m.
Next morning Daphne presented her
self to Patterson and endured n OF
his reharsals, with his assistant read
ing all the cues in a lifeless voice. Bat
was. He showed it for a time by n
patience that was of the sort n
shows to IA shy imbecile.
He was so restrained that Daphne
Il complete idiot, Mr.. BattersOnT"
Far from it. my dear" said Batter
sol. "You are a very intelligent young
woman The trouble is that you are
too intelligent for the child's play of
the stage. It's all a kind of big nurs-
cry and you can't forget that facts are
not facts In this toy game. If you
could let yourself go and be foolish
and play doll house you might sue
coed. It's hard even when you know
how. But it's impossible as long as
you try to reason 1t out. It's like
music and fiction and all the arts.
You've got to pretend or you cant
feel and you can't make anybody else
feel"
And that, indeed, was Daphne's ag-
ony. She could not release her imagi-
nation or command her clear vision to
see what was not there.
Night after night she reported at
the theater and left 1t when the cur
tain rose. On one of these evenings
Tom Duane met her outside the stage
door. His apology was that he felt 1t
his duty to look after his client.
He invited Daphne to ride home in
his car, which was waiting at the curb.
She declined with thanks. He urged
that she take a little spin in the park.
that 1t was a pity to lose the
moonlight.
She said she would get enough when
she walked home. lie asked if he
might "toddle along" She could hard
ly refuse without crassly insulting him.
They loitered slowly up the quiet
reach of Seventh avenue. He ques-
toned her about her work with all the
for another's autobiography. She
found IL easy to tell him of her diff
He extracted encouragement
Or indirect compliment out of all of
them.
When they arrived at her apartment
house she said, Sorry | can't ask you
up, but | have no reception room, and
I'm tired out"
You have wasted enough Of your
lime on me-" he said. "Ill see you TO
he elevator"
As Daphne stepped into the hallway
she found Clay Wimburn there, wait
ng grimly. He sprang to his feet with
A gasp of relief. He caught sight of
Duane and his joy died instantly.
Wlmburn loved Daphne and wanted
ler for his own. He had counted her
MS own, and still had neither refunded
engagement ring nor paid for it.
Daphne was more pleased with VIM
,urn's misery than with Duane's fe-
lefty.
"Won't you come up, ClayT' she
Ha m~urnured "Can we bp alone for
little talkT"
I'm afraid not. The Chivvises, you
now"
"Will you take a little walk with me
n the park"
"All right" she said as she led the
way out into the street. "Tm pretty