Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-10-30
CHAPT Err vi.
The ate Extra.

The Late Extra.
Impulslyely Whitaker got w TO fol-
low Man then hesitatcd and sank back
in doubt, his head aWhifI lie was Tor
the time being shocked out OF all Ca
pactty for clear reasoning or rsht
thinking UppermoSt IN his CONSCIOUS
ness he had halt.forned notion 'hat
II wouldn't help matters if he were to
force himself in upon the crisis behind
the scenes.
Beyond all question his wife had
recognized in him the man whom she
had been given every reason 4" believe
dead: II discovery 50 unuervlng rs TO
render her temporarily unable to con
tinue.
This. then, explained Drummond'S
reluctance To have him hidden I" the
supper party; whatever ultimate
course of action he planned TO pursue
Drunmond had been unwilling, per
haps pardonuty SO, to have his ro-
mnltre oyprthroWn and altogether shat
tered in single day. He had lied,
lied desperately. doubtless meaning to
encompass marriage before Whitaker
could find his wife, and so furnish HIM
with every reason that could influence
an honorable man to disappear Sec
ond time.
ON the other hand, Max 10 a cerIuin-
ty was ignorant of tho relationship be-
tween his star and his old time friend
lust rs he must have been ignorant OF
her identity with the one tim" Mary
Ladislas. For that matter, Whitaker
had to admit that damniug as was the
evidence to Controycrt the theory
Drummond might be just AS much in
the dark as Max was. 1t was only lalr
t. suspend judgment. In the mean
time
The audience was getting beyond
control. In the gallery the gods were
beginning to testify to their normal IN
tolerance with shrill Whistles cat-calls,
sporadic bursts of hand-clapptnE ANA II
steady, sinister rumble OF stamping
feet. In the orchestra and dress circle
people were moving about rcStIcssly
and talking at the top of their voices
in order to make themselves H'"Ih
above the growing Gin.
Abruptly Max himself appeared at
one side OF the proscenlun arch ii
was plain to those nearest the stage
that he was seriously disturbed. There
Vas a noticeable hesitnnCy in his man
ner pathetic frenzy III his habituolly
mild and luStrouS eyes Advancing
halfway to the middle of the apron he
unused, begging attention with Il pudgy
hand. Ii was fun minute before the
gallery would let him be heard.
Ladies' and gentlemen he an
nouncpd plaintively Il much regret tc
inform You that Miss Law has sui
fcred a severe nervous shock his
gaze wandered in perplexcd inquiry to
ward the rightiAud stagoboN, thrl
was hastily ed~-"and will not b,
uble to continue.
Wave upon wave of sound SWop
through the auditorium to break, roar
ing against the obdurate curtain. MAY
with difficulty contriycd to make him
self disconnectedly audible.
Ladies' and " he shouted
sweat beading Kis pcrturbed forehead
"resret impossible u
office
An angry howl drowned him out III
retrcatcd at accelerated discretion.
Whitaker, slipping through the stag
dam. I.biuI tho hnNpS ran into tli
stage manager standing beside the frs
entrance, hcutedly explaining 10 any
one who would listen the utter futllit
of offering boX-OIliCe prices in return
for seat checks which in the mnjoilt
of instances had cost their holders TOP
notch Spectator prices.
"Theyll wreck the theater,' he
shouted excitedly, hopping his broN
with his cont sleeve, "whnt tclld sh
wanna pull n raw one like this lorE
Whitaker caught his arm IN Il graS
compelling attention.
"Where's Miss Law" he asked.
81 dunno-So ask Max"
"Whcrc is hep
"You can search ne; last | saw g
him he was tearing the star dreSslI
room up by the roots
Whitaker hurried on just in time |
see Max disappearing In the dirccuo
of the stage door, at which point Il
caught up with him, and from tn
managers disjointed catechisln OF III
doorieeper garnercd the inlormh'lo
TINT the star had hurried out OF Ia