Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-12-24
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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 lips moved, answering him:
Eyes, afterwards I don't mind paying
then"
From that moment she took the play into her
hands and made it what 1t 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 it the play took on new and convincing as
pect Even. the impotence of the Big Man could
not arrest it progress. The inspiration of the
Leading Woman carried it on the flood tide to
success. The emasculated first act forgotten.
Finally, the c1rtain descended on 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 In
Front 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 natures such as his.
She sat up all night writing to the Unknown
whom she had seen at last. Bodily pain and mem
tai anguish were forgotten in the ecstacy that
drove her pen over the paper.
81 have seen you knew you My heart has
shaken hands with you and oh if you would
call to me, how gladly would come"
The next evening she pleaded she was too i'll
to play She really was But the Big Man
laughed she had reverted to the original script.
She would play it so every night and pay
for 1t 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 tele-
phone bell in her dressingroom rang. She picked
up the receiver.
Eyes? I'm the leading woman,
To whom am speakingg
"The author of the piece" was the answer she
received promptly.
She grew faint at the sound. Of the voice.
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. 1t meant
so much to me-"
A voice within her asked question. what
seat--dd they give your?
.@rhe middle of the front row Of the stalls.
Number ten.'
Her voice grew staccato. "You weren't there?
You sent no 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 1? Now!'
Before she left the theater. she questioned the
man in the box office.
"Number ten, front of the stalls. Who had
it?'
Nobody, madame It was reserved for the
author"
did you let anybody else have IT in his alb
sence2"
mo madame. 1t has been empty each night"
The cab stopped at the hotel. She got out. The
elevator took her to upper floor. At the
door to room she dismissed the beIlboy.
Alone in Ehe long corridor she paused for a
moment her knuckes 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 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 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 was unconscious of her presence.
Her eyes loved him.
The room untidy, inhospitable as hotel
apartment always is. It needed womans touch.
There was writingtable by his side with pa
pers on it and womans photograph hers
The crate was full of ashes, the fire low. Silent
ly she stepped across the room and knet by the
CRATE
The man, reused out of ftfu sumber awoke
to see the woman tidying up his hearth.
And thus, early in the year, new happiness
was dawning.