The Monticellonian., 1919-04-04

Wesley could not be persuaded to stay over an unnecessary night. His business was in a perilouS condition. The mammoth Cowper firm had gone l into bankruptcy owing him hand 1 some sum of money which he was not l likely to recover. The failure also closed an important and profitable market for his calculating machines. i It 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 large bin into Daphne'S hand when he bade 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 1 o'clock and sat in the dark on cnn- vas rock. watching the stage hands gather and listening to their repartee.
 Batterson arrived at length. He was in one of his humane moods. He asked Daphne ift,he 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 T. m.
 Next morning Daphne presented her self to Patterson and endured one of his rehearsals, with his assistant read ing all the cues in lifeless voice. Bat terson was more discouraged than she was. He showed it for q time by q patience that was of the sort one shows to shy imbecile.
 He was so restrained that Daphne broke out for him, Do you think l anu complete idiot, Mir. BattersonT
 Far from it, my dear said Batter son. You are very intelligent young woman. The trouble is that you are too intelligent for the child's play of the stage. It's all kind of big nurs- cry and you cant 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 ceed. It's hard even when you know how. But it's impossible as long as 1 you try to reason it out. It's like music and fiction and all the arts. You've got to pretend or you can't feel and you can't make anybody else 1 feel"
 And that. indeed. was Daphne's az ony. She could not release her imagf- nation or command her clear vision to see what was not there.
 Night after night she reported at the theater and left it when the cur tain rose. On one of these evenings Tom Duane met her outside the stage door His apology was that he felt it 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 little spin in the park. l She declined without thanks. He sighed that it was pity to lose the moonlight.
 She said she would get enough when she walked home. He asked if he might "toddle along" She could hard |
 They loitered slowly up the quiet reach of Seventh avenue He ques- i toned her about her work with all the i grateful fiattery there is in an appe- 1 tite for anothers autobiography. She i found it easy to tell him of her diff cultieS. He extracted encouragement or indirect compliment out of all of them.
 When they arrived at her apartment house she said, Sorry I can't ask you up, but I have no reception room, and I'm tired out"
 You have wasted enough of your time on me-" he said. I'll see you to the elevator"
 As Daphne stepped into the hallway she found Clay Wimburn there, wait ing grimly. He sprang to his feet with gasp of relief He caught sight of Duane and his joy died instantly. Wimburn loved Daphne and wanted her for his own. He had counted her his own, and still had neither refunded the engagement ring nor paid for it. Daphne was more pleased with Vim burns misery than with Duane's fe- licity.
 "Won't you come up, Clay?" she asked.
 He murmured, Gan we be alone for a little talk?'
 Pm afraid not The Chivvises, you know"
 Twill you take a little walk with me in the park?'
 "All right" she said as she led the way out into the street. "I'm pretty