Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-12-24
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III make you pay for this"
She was smiling. looking into the black void
OF the house. Her lips moved, answering him:
Yes. afterwards. don't mind paying
then"
From that moment she took the play into her
hands and made II what 1t meant to be. The
members of the company. inspired by cr 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 new and convincing ns-
pect Even the impotence of the Big Man could
not arrest II progress The inspiration of the
Leading Woman carried 1t on the flood tide to
success. The emasculated first act forgotten.
Finally, the curtain descended 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 d. J.. to the Man In
Front 3. 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 the paper.
'T have seen you'll knew you'll My heart has
shaken hands with you and oh II you would
call to me. how gladly would come"
The next evening she pleaded she too Ill
to play. She really But the Big Man
laughed She had reverted to the original script
She would play 1t every night, and pay
for II after.
The Man in Front there
He there the next night
And each night the Big Man made her pny
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, she preparing to go home the tele
phone bell in her dressing-room rang She picked
up the receiver.
tho laad
To whom am 1 speaklngr
"The author of the piece" was 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.
wasn't able to be present. although seats were
sent / was there In spirit. think. 1t mean
much to me-
voice within her asked question. "wha
seat-dd they give your
"The middle of the front of the stalls
Number ten."
Her voice grew staccato. you weren't there
You sent no substitute7
"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 ou
harshly.
"Shall come to your The address7 wher
viii l? Now!"
Before she left the theater. she questioned thu
man In the box office.
Number ten, front row OF the stalls. Who nat
it?"
Nobody. madame. 1t was reserved for tn
author"
"Did you let anybody else have it in his NIB
senceT
mo. madame. 1t has been empty each night.
The cab stopped at the hotel. She got out Th
elevator took her to upper floor. At tn
door to n she dismissed the bellboy.
Alone In the long corridor she paused for
moment her knuckes poised the door panel
What was the opening of that door going to men,
to her the shutting OF another7 She knocke,
softly. There answer. She went In, clos
ing the door quietly behind her. her eyes goin,
instantly to the still figure in the armchair.
1t was the man she had In the theater-
in the seat that had been empty all along. Wait
ing for her convalescent after a long Illness h
had fallen asleep.
Standing there, her eyes took their fill of him
Her senses swan with the Joy Of looking upoi
him while he unconscious of her presence
Her eyes loved him.
The room untidy. inhospitnble as a hote
apartment always is. 1t needed a woman's touch
There writing-tnble by his side with pa
pers on 1t and a woman's photograph i. hers
The CRATE was full of ashes the nre low Silen,
ly she stepped across the room and knelt by tn
CRATE.
The man. reused out of a dtful slumber avok
to see the woman tidying up his hearth
And thus early in the year, a happines
dawninx