The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-03-23

Michigan, Paul. throw ner INTO tn'
'high.s'
| Half an hour later he sat at ths
desk in his study, took an envelopt
from his pocket bearing q Russian
stamp and postmark. and from the en-
yelope a bill of exchange for thoN
sand dollars.
The perennial favorite, la Boheme
was sung that evening. In spite ol
Mrs. Otis (who had borne Artie's
surprise" with Gommendable compos
IRE, sending only one terrifying glance
at that rash joker). Fitzhugh contrived
to sit near Kathleen, and by the time
Rodolfo and Mimi had chorused
"Amore!" he was subtly making loys
tc her, saying little by word Of mouth
but speaking volumes with eye and
mien.
Though unaware he was acting In
any sense of that word, he neverthe-
less realized the setting could not
have been more appropriate for ar
rnorous theatres, and almost uncon'
| sciously he entered into the role OF
ardent lover with accordant stage bus
mess. The lights and the color, the
| perfume and music, the opuience ana
splendor and the gorgeous show OF
| Wealth, and this beautiful girl whom
he loved, who so essentially was a
part of all this, palpitating beside him
what wonder that he. who appre-
| ciated with the dramatist's eye the
bistrtonic value of any environment,
should become glowing RomeoT
1t was near the end Of act two, and
he did not know whether Mimi was
making merry with the Bohemians in
the Quarter Latin, or dying of star
| walton in Rodolfo's attic, and he did
not know whether Mrs. Otis was
watching him, or discussing with the
lady next her corset display in
| Michigan Avenue, that his hanG found
Kathleen's and smothered it In q
burning pressure.
She caught her breath for an in.
slant, then quietly freed her hand.
and reaching up calmly tucked stray
wisp of hair into place, still interested.
seemingly, in nothing save the rejoic-
ing at the Cafe Momus. But had not
the auditorium been darkened, he
would have seen that her cheeks al.
most matched in color her Titan coif-
fure and that her eyes were closed.
81 have loved you." murmured he.
very close to her ear, ''for three years.
Today. in fact, is the anniversary =
the second of March. Three years ago
today / found this"-from under his
cuff he slipped dainty handkerchief
of exquisite lace, very crumpled and
very soiled and dropped it in her lap.
Il loved it's owner then love her now.
have always loved her. always shall
{ love her. Everything have eve to
Eer'
She picked up the bit of lace. bent
her eyes on 1t. The warm color had
orept from her cheeks, leaving them,
ii he could have seen, as white as her
sIms and shoulders-an exquisite, fine
grained white as pure and as beauti-
full as the petals of milk white rose.
The act was nearing its close. The
ocean of melody had touched high
tide.
81 am waiting for my answer ne
whispered.
She made no sign that she heard.
"If there's any hope. If I've a ghost
CT a chance, smile when you look at
me again. You needn't speak. Only
SMILE,
Nha tot hod = a4frr faA fhnf
grand finale. The director raised his
baton, lowered it swiftly, the orchestra
crowned everything in titanic crash,
and the curtains closed on the second
act. The tenor made his final bow, the
footlights winked out, the lights In
the auditorium flashed forth. flooding
the house with brilliancy, thousand
eyes and half as many opera glasses
sought the boxes, and there was Q
great hum and hustle.
/ Some friends OF Mrs. Otis, making
al entr'-act call, had peeped in her box
&c say "how'do," and Mrs. OtisS dim
pling and gracious. and stout Nand
watching her daughter from the cor.
ner of one eye) stood gossiping with
them few moments in the corridor
entrance.
As the lights came on Kathleen had
leaned back In her chair. pressed her
lovely shoulders against the cushions
and breathed deeply. Now she very
deliberately walked to the seat her
mother had vacated. and with her back
partly toward Fitzhugh, she engaged
herself in airy conversation with Ar
tie Sparkle and the third man of the
party, a middle aged bachelor named
Chickering. Not once had she glanced
Fitzhugh's way. Not once did she no.
tice his existence.
There is one thing at which even the
most determined lovers will stop. and
that thing is indifference. Indifference
raises a wall there is no scaling. In
difference would chill the passion Of
a God.
Fitzhugh, sitting next the balustrade
of the adjoining box gazed helDlesslv