Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-12-23

What the devil are you up to? BY thunder,
I'll make you pay for this
She smiling, looking into the black void
of the house. Her lips moved, answering him.
Yes, afterwards. l don't mind paying
then"
From that moment she took the play into her
hands and made it what it 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 1t the play took on a new and convincing as
pect. Even the impotence Of the Big Man could
not arrest 1t progress. The inspiration of the
Leading Woman carried it on the food tide to
success. The emascuated first act was forgotten.
Finally the curtain descended on a 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, bowed to the Man in
Front j.. and then she trembed 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 a civilized world but the veneer Of civilization
lies very thin 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 forgotten in the eCstacy that
drove her pen the paper
81 have seen you! l knew you My heart has
shaken hands with you and oh if you would
call to me, how gladly would 1 come"
The next evening she pleaded she was too i'll
to play. She really But the Big Man
laughed. She had reverted to the original script.
She would play it so every night . and pay
for it after.
The Man in Front there.
He was there the next night.
And each night the Big Man made her pay
so 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 go home the tee-
phone bell in her dressng-rOom rang. She picked
up the receiver.
"Yes? . . . I'm the leading woman,
To whom am speaking?
",The author Of the piece the answer she
received promptly.
She grew faint at the sound of the voice.
81 want to thank you for what you have done
for my play The papers are full of you. 1
wasn't able to be present, although seats were
sent. I was there in spirit, l think. 1t meant
so much to me-"
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 there?
You sent substituted"
"No. l 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 you? The address? When
will l? Now"
Before she left the theater, she questioned the
man in the box Office
Number ten, front row of the stalls. Who had
it,"
Nobody madame. 1t was reserved for the
author"
"Did you let anybody else have 1t in his alb
sence?"
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 the
door to 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 another? 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, convaescent after long illness, he
had fallen asleep.
Standing there, her eyes took their fill 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 untldy inhospitable as hotel
apartment always is. 1t needed wOman's touch
There wrting-table by his side with pa
pers on 1t and a woman's photograph . hers !
The crate was full of ashes the fire low. Silent
ly she stepped across the room and knelt by the
CRATE. ..
The man, reused out Of a ftfu sumber, awoke
to see the woman tdying up his hearth, ..f
And thus, early in the year. a new happiness
dawning