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

All tHlS Wulle Ddpuue WIS htpt III
readiness to take Miss Kemble's part
in case the illness of her child should
result in death and in the further case
that she should be unable to finish her
performances. With the theatrical
season in such bad estate and most of
Reben's companies and theaters losing
money heavily, Sheila Kemble was his
n certain dependence. He called
her his breadwinner.
Miss Kemble's baby passed the cri-
sis and recovered. And then the
mother, worn out with the double
strain. caught a little chill that became
a binding. choking cold. She went
through the Saturday matinee In a
whisper. but the night performance
was beyond her.
And now at last Daphne's chance ar
rived. The Saturday night house was
enormous in spite of the heat. There
were enough people there to make
fourteen hundred dollars-twenty-five
hundred for the day.
Daphne. trudging to the theater for
her usual stupid rebuff, walked into
this crisis Of her life.
Reben himself knocked at her dress
ing room door where Miss Winsor was
helping her with her makeup. He
implored her to be calm, and he was so
tremulOus that he suffered. He told
her that If she made good he would let
her play the part till Miss Kemble
got well. He would pay her a hand
some bonus. He would put her out
at the head Of a number two company
mex season.
Patterson came at last and ordered
him off the stage. Reben obeyed him.
Then Patterson talked to her. He told
her that there was no reason to fear
the house. A Saturday night audience
was always easy. 1t wanted its mon
ey's worth! 1t would help to get it.
II see," said Daphne. I'm not
afraid of the audience"
"Then what on earth are you afraid
Off"
I'm afraid Of mel"
Patterson laughed scornfully. "Oh,
you! You're going to score a knock
out. You're going to make a big hit !"
Yes" said Daphne, 80 you've al
ways told me-"
The curtain rose. Miss Winsor and
the young man skipped onto their
job the butler stalked Eldon entered
and made his exit. Mrs. vining spread
her skirts and sailed on, then Eldon
went back. Finally Daphne's cue
came.
She was startled a little as Batter
son nudged her forward. She went to
the door and opened it on her new
caree to make her public debut with
the all-important How d. you do?"
She saw before her the drawing room
in Il weird light. Beyond 1t was a
fiercely radiant fog and beyond that
an agglomeration of faces-the mass
of tomato cans that she was not going
TO be afraid of.
And she was not afraid. She was
curious to study them. She was eager
to remember her lines. And she re-
Ahth tuto III IloIt
or less far apart and each evoked from
her mind the appropriate answer. She
made never "A slip, and yet she began
realize that Mr.. Eldon seemed un-
happy.
At length she realized that the audi.
ence was strangely quiet. A sense of
vaulty emptiness oppressed her. She
on with her lines. She under
stood at last that she was getting no
She was not provoking those
roars that Sheila Kemble
brought forth. The audience had evil
had a hard week.
She decided that she must be play
ing too quietly; she quickened her
and threw more ~vivacity into
her nne She moved briskly about
the scene, to Eldon's bewilderment.
He seemed unable to find her.
She went through to the bitter end
and spoke every line. But the audi
ence was not with her for a moment.
She used all her intellect to find the
secret Of its pleasure, but she could
surprise 1t. She tried harder and
acted with the intense devo- |
ton Of a wrestling bout, but she could
score a point.
The company looked worried and