New Britain herald., 1921-07-14


 anything"
 When he finished the ordeal of | reading his play Vickery was exhaust | ed. Reben was silent long and l CT Jelly anxious while. Then he spoke harshly: @ Frankly, MT. Vickery, I don't think your play is right. The idea is there, but you haven't got it. Maybe you can fix it up.
 live been think, Sheila-Miss Kemble, that 1t might be a good idea to try this out in stock company. Then MT. Vickery could see it's faults" | Sheila protested: "Oh, but couldn't let anybody else play that first" l You could join the company as a guest for a week and play the part yourself | ''Fine! Sheila exclaimed I've been planning to put in good, hard sum- mer in stock
 l When Vickery had gone Reben spoke more confidently of the play. | I'll tell you a man I've had in mind for the lead. He's young, hand some, educated, tall and athletic and a gentleman.
 "And who's all that?" said Sheila. Young fellow named-er-Elmore l-no, Eldon; that's it. You must know him. He was with you in The Friend in Need company" l "Oh, yes," Sheila amurmured. sI remember him perfectly" l How do you think he would do ?"
 T think he would be splendid"
 Eldon found Sheila subtly changed. She was the same sweet, sympathetic. helpful Sheila that had been his comrade in art, but he could not re- | %t.
 his dreams of love.
 We've no time for flirting or phil- andering, or whatever it was we were doing in Chicago said Sheila. .Tm l too busy, and so are you"
 CHAPTER VI.
 Shei1a's hours in the play mill aver aged IA day. She grew haggard and petulant. Eldon feared for her health.
 One stif1ling afternoon he begged her to take drive with him between matinee and night out to Lotus Land a. pleasure park where one could look at water and eat in an arbor She begged off because she was too husv
 ohe mad no sooner finished the re- 1usal than he saw her face light m. ne saw her run to meet a lank lrpn- orlous young man; he heard Sheila invite the newcomer to buggy ride" with her to Lotus Land and take din- liner outdoors!
 Eloon dashed away in rage of Jealousy. The next morning at re- hearsal, he said with laborious sar- casm:
 where's you friend this morning ?''
 He went back to town"
 How lonely you must feeI!,,
 Shella was startled at the same ktwang of jealousy she had heard in Reben's voice when she and vickerv first met | gVickery found it so tedious to make Ia journey from Braywood to Clinton very time he wanted to ask Sheila's advice on a difficulty that he sudden Ibaggage. t
 Eldon noted that sheila, who had rarely been able to spare a moment With him, found numberless oppor- ltunities to consult with this play wright. Her reason was that she found Vickery strangely attractive as we'll as strangely irritating. Sheila felt that it had been on1v common decency to repel Reben even by force of arms. To hold Eldon at Ia distance had seemed to her to he her duty till she made sure that she loved him as he plainly loved her.
 But to fend off Vickery's love seemed to her sin. She was quench- ing fine fiery spirit. Her feeling was much more than liking; yet somehow 1t was not quite loving
 So the young woman debated in her heart the merits of the rival claim lants. She resolved that whoever it might be that she married, he needn't lexpect her to go acting.
 This pretty we'll cleared her slate of suitors. for Reben, as we'll as the |other two, had never suggested any, thing except her continuance in her lcareer. As if a woman had no right Ito rest!
 Eventually Vickery's play was ready for production. At least, as Reben ltold him bs-comfortingly:
 We've all worked at it till we don't know what it's about. We've changed everything in it, so let's put it on and get rid of it.'
 The weather of the rehearsal week for the Vickery play was barbarously hot. Reben found so much fault with everything that Vickery was ready for the asylum. Sheila simply had to comfort him through the crisis
 Eldon complicated the matters by developing into fiend of jealousy. He told Sheila he had mind to throw the play The distracted girl tried to tide him over the ordeal by adopt ing him and mothering him as we'll with melting looks and rapturous Icompliments And these reacted again on the jealous author. Reben resent e. Sheila's graciousness to both FL ldon and Vickery and demanded some homage for the lonely manager. | CHAPTER VII.
 Recalling Winfield. l When the next mnrnine,s rehea rsal