Gilpin observer., 1920-12-23
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What the devil are you up tor By thunder.
I'll make you pay for this"
She was smiling, looking into the black void
Of the house. Her lies moved answering him:
"Yes. afterwards don't mind paying
then"
From that moment she took tho play into her
hands and made 1t what 1t was meant to be. The
members Of the company. inspired by er revolt,
and latent dislike Of the Big Man. supported her
Loyalty. With the vigOr Of the big scene restored
to It the play took on new and convincing
pect Even the impotence Of the Big Man could
not arrest 1t progress The inspiration Of the
Leading Woman carried 1t on the food tide to
success. The emasculsted first act was forgotten.
Finally, the curtain descended on play made.
At the end the call for the author grew vehe-
ment. The author was not in the house. Then
they called for the Leading Woman again, and she
coming forward, bow I'd to the Man In
Front and then she trembled and grew weak.
because he looked straight back at her and smiled
The Big Man made her pay when they got home
that night. Exactly how does not matter. This
is civilized world. but the veneer Of civilization
lies very thin on natures such as his.
She sat up all night writing to the Unknown
whom she had seen at last. Bodily pain and men.
tai anguish were forgotten in the ecstacy that
drove her pen over the paper.
II have seen you 1 Snew you'll Ny heart has
shaken hands with you and oh II you would
call to me, how gladly wc,ld 1 come"
The next evening she pleaded she was too Ill
to play. She really was. But the Big Man
laughed. She had reverted to the original script
She would play 1t SO every night, and pay
for 1t after
The Man in Front was there
He was there the next night
And each night the Big Man made her pay
terribly that the last shred Of her allegiance
to him slipped from her.
On the third night. at the end Of the perform
ance she was preparing to 60 home the tele-
phone bell in her dressing-room rang. She picked
up the receiver.
"Yes? . . I'm the leading woman, :.
To whom am speakingT
1.-THE author of the piece was the answer she
received promptly.
She grew faint at the sound of the voice.
'T want to thank you for what you have done
for my PLAY. The papers are full Of you I
wasn't able to be present, although seats were
sent. was there in spirit, 1 think. It meant
so much to me-"
voice within her asked question. "what
seat-did they give your
1.-THE middle Of the front of the stals.
Number ten
Her voice grew staccato "You weren't theref
You sent substtuteT
"No. I can't even drive round and thank you.
The doctor won't let me out"
Words dried in her throat She got them out
harshly.
"Shall come to your . The address7 When
will I? Now!'
Before she left the theater. she questioned the
man in the box office.
Number ten front row of the stalls. Who had
nr
Nobody. madame. 1t was reserved for the
author"
"Did you let anybody else have It in his alb
senceT
mo. madame. 1t has been empty each night. "
The cab stopped mt the hotel. She got out. The
elevator took her to upper floor. At ths
door to a room she dismissed the bellboy.
Alone in the long corridor she paused for Q
moment, her knuckles poised over the door panel.
What was the opening OF that door going to mean
to her the shutting Of another7 She knocked
softly. There was no answer. She went in, clos.
ing the door quietly behind her. her eyes going
instantly to the still figure in the armchair.
It was the man she had seen in the theater-
In the seat that had been empty all along. Wait
ing for her, coovalescent after q long illness, he
had fallen asleep.
Standing there her eyes took their NIL OF him.
Her senses swan with the Joy Of looking upon
him while he was unconscious Of her presence
Her eyes loved him.
The room untidy inhospitable a. q hotel
apartment always is. II needed q woman's touch
There was q writing table by his side with "a,
pers on It and woman's photograph hers
Tho crate was full Of ashes, the IRE low. Silent
" she stepped across the room and knelt By tn
grate
The man. reused out Of ntful slumber. awoks
to SEE the woman tdying up his hearth
And thus early In the year. . new happiness
was dawnlns