Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-05-13


club and resumed my search. Hang
ing about theater doors. staring at the
crowd. is not dignifled occupation.
and by nine o'clock, having seen the
most belated theatergoers vanish,
was tired and footsore. The flaming
sign Of Searles' "Who Killed Cock
Robin?" over the door of the as You
Like 1t" caught my eye. sought
seattle last In the rack-and
squeezed into my place in the middle
Of the last row. AS had seen the
piece at least dozen times. its nov
city was gone for me, but the laughter
Of the delighted audience was cheer
ing. The first act was reaching its
y elimination, and watched 1t with
glow Of pride in Searles and his skill.
full craftsmanship.
AS the curtain fell and the lights
went up amid murmurs Of pleasure
and expectancy, glanced across the
rows Of heads. The half-turned face
of man three rows in front of me
suddenly caught my attention. There
was something curiously familiar in
his outlines and the gesture with
which. at the moment, he was drawing
his handkerchief across his forehead.
1t was Montani-beyond any question
Montani-and instinctively shrank In
my seat and lifted my program as
he turned round and swiftly surveyed
the rows behind him.
i, watched his black head intently
until I remembered the superstition
that by staring at person in pub
lie place you can make him look at
you. Montani knew great many
things I wanted to know, but must
have time to adjust myself to the
shock Of his propinquity.
The house now took note Of STIR
ring in the boxes. There was an ex-
cited buzz as the tall form and I'M
mistakable features of Cecil Arrow
smith, the English actor, were recog.
nized. l had read that day OF his
arrival in New York. With him were
two women. My breath came hard and
clutched the iron frame of the seat
in front of me so violently that its
occupant turned and glared.
The trio settled into their places
quickly, but not before had satisfied
myself that Arrowsmith's companions
were Alice and Mrs. Farnsworth. AS
they fell into animated talk I saw that
Alice was in her gayest humor. The
distinguished tragedian seemed greatly
amused by what she was saying to
him.
Must be members of Arrowsmith's
company" one Of my neighbors re-
marked. 'They open in two weeks
In Shakespearian repertoire"
Montani had half risen, the better
to focus an opera-glass on the box.
The gong solemnly announced the Sec
ond act, and Alice moved her chair
to face the stage. Once more Mon
TAM scanned the party with his glass.
AS the lights faded Alice, with the
pretty dangerous gesture so we'll re-
membered, opened her fan-the fan
Of ostrich plumes, that became blur
of white that held my eye through the
dusk after the curtain rose.
Alice, Montani, and the fan! To this
combination had now to add the new
element introduced into the situation
by the apparent familiar acquaintance
of Alice and Mrs. Farnsworth with
Cecil Arrowsmith. And yet, as the
play proceeded on it's swift-moving
course, reasoned that there was moth
ing extraordinary in their knowing the
eminent actor. He had long beer
{. a parsonage in England and had late
ly been knighted. Their appearance
with him ut the theater really dis.
posed of the idea that they might be
imposters. The presence of Arrow
smith had put zest into the company,
and hadn't seen better perform.
ance of Searles' play. The trio in
the box Joined in the prolonged ap-
plause at the end of the act.
AS they resumed their talk Alice, 1t
seemed, was relating something of mo-
ment for Arrowsmith's benefit. refer
ring now and then to Mrs. Farnsworth
as though for confederation. The
scene in the box was almost as in
teresting as any in the play, and the
audience watched with deep absorb.
ton. Alice, the least self-conscious
Of mortals, was. knew, utterly un-
aware Of the curious gaze of the
house; whatever she was saying with
an occasional gesture of her gloved
hand or a shrug of her shoulders
possessed her completely. thought
she might be telling Arrowsmith Of
her adventures at Barton; but the
length Of her narrative was against
this, and Arrowsmith's attitude was
more that Of critic appealed to
for an opinion than of polite listener
to story. He nodded his head sew
eral times, and finally, as Alice, with
q slight dip Of the head and an
ward movement of her arms, sett
back in her chair, he patted his ha,
,lpprOvingly.
In my absorption had forgot
Montani's existence, but as the +
act began saw that he had
Whether shouI6 mt ,,,reo,F To- Al