New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-07-11

wares in trade.
"Have you had any experienced"
"None."
Studied elocution?"
"Never. / never spoke a piece in
my life"
Good! Amateur th~eatricals?"
Never. | never seemed to care for
them"
Better yet, What makes you think
you want to act now"
money. | want 10 earn money
get rich"
Il see" said Iteben, and fell into a
profound meditation, studying Daphne
s|earchingly.
Duane seized the opportunity to rise
and say "Well, I'll leave you W % to-
gether to talk terms. 1t would be in
delicate for me to know just how rich
Miss Kip is going to be"
lie had no sooner gone than Reben's
manner changed slightly and Daphne's
courage vanished. Reben paced the
floor as he talked. His path kept
slowly closing in around her like the
walls in Poe's story.
"You look like Miss Kemble," he
said. "You have somewhat the same
temperament. You like her style of
play. That may be your line. l can't
tell. OF course | don't know how well
, you can act. Perhaps you never could
Kemble is great, but she comes OF an
old theatrical family. OF course you
have one great capital-your beauty I;
for you are very beautiful, Miss Kip,
very. Let me see your eyes,"
lie had a right to ask if he were
going TO hire her eyes, but she looked
up ~cravenly, for the burly satrap was
leaning over her. His left hand was
on the arm of the chair, his right on
the back of 1t. His left hand was grad
ually enyeloping hers. 1t was a fat.
hot hand, and his face was so close
that it vas blurred in her vision.
Then she remembered Duane's
words. She controlled herself enough
to put them to the test.
She pretended to look coldly into
Reben's fuce. and she said, with n
brave show of calm Mr.. Reben, j
didn't come here to fiirt with you and
| don't intend TO. | came here for a
job as an actress. If this sort of thing
is n necessary part of the job I'll go
somewhere else"
Reben backed away and stared at
her. He was rendered foolish by her
| ,,I,,fT ,tl In GtnY,1,ARAI tt\Nhu =
l meant no harm"
She went on with the Duane system
of treatment 81 know you didn't. You
meant to be polite, but you don't have
to he $ % polite to me. don't expect
it and | don't like IT,"
"All right, all right ~ Reben growled,
pacing the floor again, but in Il CON
stantly receding path. He did not
speak. He felt that he had made n
fool of himself, and he was embar-
raised.
Daphne was so frightened with her
success that she got to her feet, say
ing 81 suppose this means that you
don't want me to work for you. It's
true, then, what they say about the
stage"
Nonsense, OF curse not, Rot (!
| never see most Of my people except
ut rehearsals or performances. I've
never spoken to three-quarters of 'em.
If you want a job you can have it, and
no concessions are necessary. You
don't have TO make love to me. You
make love to the audience, and If you
can capture that you can slap my face
every time you see me-"
Daphne was a~stounded. She was
engaged She was e%xultant and
thrilled with gratitude TO Duane for
introducing her to this marvellous OPP
portunity and for the wisdom OF his
counsel.
I.eben said: "The general under
study of the Kemble company has
grown tired Of waiting for a chance
to appear in public. She's quitting me
this week for "A small part in a road
company. You can have her place If
you want II. DO you?"
you bet-er-indeed I do. How
often does an understudy play?"
AS rarely as possible"
Daphne's joy turned to lead.
Reben added: but we don't pay by
performances. I'll pay you twenty
five IA week. You wanted money.
There's a little Of 1t for a start. Do
you want itT'
"Will it lead to anything better?"
ut might"
"Am | to understudy Miss Kemble?"
"Yes, and all the other women
roles"
"And when do you suppose I'll get a
chance to play Miss Kemble's partf
Soonf"
"Never. | hope"
That's encouraging
"If Miss Kemble fell i'll we'd ordi-
narily refund the money. because she's
the star. But sometimes we might
have to give a performance at short
notice. Chances in the other parts
might come any day"
when you CAM"
Indeed i will. If you have the gift,
the sooner | find it put and the harder
| work it the more money 1 make.
The more you earn the more I make.
I'd Ike to pay you ter thousand a
week"
I'D like to have you. All right,
I'll try"
He pressed a button on his desk
once. then twice. The Office boy ap-
peared, followed by the stenographer.
Reben said to the boy: as Mr.. Bat
terson here? Send him to me-" To
the ~stenographer he said: Fiji out a