The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-12-30
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" thunder.

What the devil are you up to? BY thunder
I'll make you pay for this"
She was smiling looking into the black void
OF the house. Her dips moved, answering him:
then"
From that moment she took the play into her
hands and made it what it meant to be. The
members of the company, inspired by er revolt
and latent dislike of the Big Man, supported her
loyalty. With the vfgor of the big scene restored
to it the play took on a and convincing as
pect. Even the impotence of the Big Man could
not arrest it progress The inspiration Of the
Leading Woman carried 1T on the flood tide to
success. The emasculated first act was forgotten.
Finally, the curtain descended a play made.
AT the end, the call for the author grew vehe-
ment. The author not in the house. Then
they called for the Leading Woman again. and She
coming forward, bowed to the Man Ia
Front and then she trembIed 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 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 the paper.
'I have seen you! 1 knew you My heart has
shaken hands with you and oh il you would
call to me, how gladly would I come"
The next evening she pleaded she too Ill
to play. She really was. But the Big Man
laughed She had reverted to the original script
She would play it so every night, /. ano pay
for IT after.
The Man in Front was there
He 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, as she was preparing to go home, the tele-
phone bell in her dressng-rOom rang She picked
up the receiver
Eyes? I'm leading woman.
To whom speakingT
''The author of the piece" the 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.
wasn't able to be present, although seats
sent. was there in spirit, 1 think. 1t meant
much to me-"
A voice within her asked a question what
seat-did they give your
1.-THE middle of the front row OF the stalls.
Number ten
Her voice grew staccato. you weren't there?
You sent substitute?"
mo. I can't even drive round and thank you.
The doctor won't let out"
Words dried in her throat. She got them out
harshy.
will I? NowI"
Before she left the theater, she questioned the
in the box office.
Number ten, front row of the stalls Who had
Nobody. madame. 1t was reserved for the
author"
did you let anybody else have it in his alb
senceT'
mo, madame. It 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 she dismissed the bellboy
Alone In the long corridor she paused for a
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 answer. She went in clos
ing the door quietly behind her, her eyes going
instantly to the still figure In the armchair
It the she had seen In the theater-
in the seat that had been empty all along Wait
ing for her. cOnvalescent after long Illness, he
had fallen asleep.
Standing there, her eyes took their I'LL of him
Her senses swan with the JOY Of looking upon
him while he unconscious of her presence
Her eyes loved him.
The room untidy inhospitabIe as hotel
apartment always is. It needed woman's touch
There q writng-tabIe by his side with pa-
pers on it and woman's photograph hers!
The CRATE full OF ashes the fire low Silent
" she stepped the room and kneIt by the
CRATE.
The man, reused out Of a ftful slumber avyoke
to the tidying up his hearth
And thus. early in the year., a new happiness
dawning.