The Raymer enterprise., 1920-12-23
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"ss~s o'e oe'" sFe yoV W 70! oy tnunoeS,
~ make you pay for this"
6he was smiling. looking into the black vvid
of the house. Her lips moved. answering hint
Yea Afterwards. don't mind paying
thsn"
Tron that moment she took The play into her
hands and made II what II was meant to b. Ths
msubsss Of the company. inspired BY Or rsvelt
and latent dislike Of the Big Man, supported hse
loyalty. With the vigof Of the big scene restored
to Il the play took o0 Z new and convincing 40.
psct. Even the impotence Of the Big Man could
not arrest II progresA The inspiration of ths
Leading Woman carried II on the food tide to
succoss. The emascuated hrst act was forgotten.
Finally, the curtain descended 90 play made.s
At the end. the cali for the author grew vehs-
msnt The author was not In the house. Then
they called for the Leading Woman again. and she
coming forward, bowed to tho Man In
Front q. and then she trembled and grew weak.
because he looked straight back At her and smiled
The Big Man made hsr pay when they got homo
thak night. Exactly how does not matter. This
Il civilized world. but the veneer Of civilization
lies vsty thin on natures such a. his.
She sat up all night writing to the Unknown
whom shs 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 youl knew youl Ny heart has
shaken hands with you and oh II you would
call to me. how gladly would come"
The NEXT evening she pleaded she was too III
to play. She really was. But the Big Man
laughed She had reverted to the original script
for II aftsr.
The Man In Front was there.
He was there the next night
And each night the Big Man made her pay
50 terribly that the last shred Of her allegiance
to him slipped from her.
On the third night. at the end Of the perform.
ance. as she was preparing to 90 homo, the tsls-
phone bell in her dressing.room rang. She picked
up the receiver.
-Yesl I'm the leading woman,
To whom am l speakingr
'The author Of the piece" was the answer shs
received promptly.
She grew faint at the sound Of the voics.
II want to thank you for what you have done
for my play. The papers are full Of you.
wasn't able to be present although seats were
sent. was there In spirit think. II meant
so much to me-
A voice within her asked question. what
seat-dId they give your
"The middle Of the front row Of the stalls.
Number ten."
Her voice grew staccato. you weren't thersi
You sent no substituter
"No I can't even drive round and thank you
The doctor won't let me ont"
Words dried In her throat. She got them out
harshly.
"shall come to your +. The addressi When
will II Now!"
Before she left the theater, she questioned the
man In the box office.
"Number ten front row Of the stalls Who had
itT
Nobody. madame II was reserved for the
author"
"Did you let anybody else have It In his ab-
sencew
mo, madame. 1t has been empty each night"
The cab stopped at the hotel She got out. The
elevator took her to an upper floor. At TIE
door to a room she dismissed the bellboy.
Alone In the long corridor she paused for
moment, her knuckles poised over the door panel
What was the opening Of that door going to mean
to her !. the shutting Of anotheri 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.
1t was the man she had seen In the theater-
In the seat that had been empty all along. Wait
ing for her, convalescent after q long Illness he
had fallen asleep.
Standing there. her eyes took their all 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 was untidy. inhospitable a. q hotel
apartment always is. It needed a woman's touch
There was a writing-table BY his side with p,
pers On II and woman's photograph hersi
The crate was full Of ashes, the nre low. Silsut
~ she stepped across the room and knelt By ths
crate.
The man. reused ont Of Q htfui slumber, awoks
to see the woman tidying up his hearth.
And thus, early In the year. 4 new happiness
was dawnins.