Evening star., 1921-06-19

| sion that enveloped her and illumi
mated all that was real in her Curl
| ously dual life. She found herself
| going. like one in dream. up Il lit
door.
Dreamily persistent. asking and
waiting and asking again. Miss
Brown found herself at length in the
presence of two men-men who were
. fat and rough. and wore their hats
tipped back. and neglected to remove
their cigars when they spoke: That
they were rude seemed wonderfully
not to matter.
She heard her own voice insisting
on an opportunity to exhibit her
wise. she would have had to insist
further. 1t was Destiny. 1t was
what life had been really about all
these years. AT half-past I
they would see her; here on the dim,
wonderful stage!
She caught the five-forty out to
Sunbury. threw her dancing costume
into handbag, and caught the six
thirty back to town:
For a miserable hour she waited
about the stage door: but the men
did not come; the dorman mercl-
fully let her inside then; and still
she waited.
From shadowy corner she
watched Loupova as that greatest OF
dancers exercised back-Stage; and
there Miss Brown listened to the
rolling waves of applause that greet
ed the Russian beyond the wings.
! Later the two, men were there:
still smoking cigars; and without a
self-conscious thought she presented
herself before them. 1t was ar
ranged then. ErudsinSly. that sne
She was given dressing-room.
where at once she prepared herself.
and then. In an agony OF desire Tor she
knew not what. waited.
A languid young man sat at
piano. He couldn't play the "Marche
Miniature" Impatient to begin. she
cried: "Oh. play anythins-a waltz
a fox trot!'
shaking with fright. she ventured
on a few tentative steps; then. hard
ly aware of what she was doing. she
danced.
TThey talked excitedly afterward.
The fatter man patted her
shoulder. The .languid pianist ad-
dressed her as MY dear" The slen-
der woman in the coat of real Rus
sian sables. who had applauded,
proved to be Loupoya nersem' it sell u,n,, D"
asked the less fat man. Il can't very
we'll take you into my company"
Miss Brown was silent. For the
first time this evening she was un-
comfortably aware OF her unconEen-
tional costume.
ter man speaking. He was. it trans
pired, Mr.. Gently. Il can get you
vaudeville bookings in minute. III
pay you well-what do you say to TWO
hundred and half?
"rwo hundred and a half?"
"Two-fiftys a week. And your rail-
road fares and hotel rooms. And
maid. if you want one. What's your
name?"
public couldn't let people see me
Miss Brown was now in utter confu-
sion.
What did you come here for?'
"Perhaps-if I could wear a mask,
or something of that sort-I couldn't
let them see my face. And if could
get away"
Doubtless they thought her crazy.
She weakly asked herself il she were
she must run of. hide. scream.
On Saturday evening Mr.. jenkins
looked in at the public library. Miss
Brown, who had planned grimly to
call at his home on Sunday. asked
for a word with him.
i've 'Deen WOHuerlnS low 70 ten
you this. Mr.. Jenkins" she began.
Nothing unpleasant has happened.
I trust" said he with the composure
that had apparently never been ruff
4 hed, looking down at her with an i'm
personally gracious sort Of kindness.
"Oh, no. Mr.. Jenkins! And now that
Miss Wombast is better, it-you see.
IL has become necessary for me to
earn more money. And an unexpected
chance has come to me, some inter-
esting travelling. I'm afraid ="
"rm sure we shall miss you very
much, Miss Brown" He spoke with
a courtly precision. But II you feel
that you will better yourself my max
ing the change, Of course we would
not wish to stand in your light. If