, 1923-11-21
Copyright by Katharine N. Burt

cigarette. she was q short woman. so
slenderly. ever narrowly built. as to
appear overgrown, and she was a ma
ture woman so immaturely shaped and
featured as to appear hardly more
tha a child. Her curly russell hair
was parted at the side, her wide. long
iashed eyes were, set far apart. her
nose was really q finely modelled snub
more, a boys nose even to a light
sprinkling of freckles-and her mouth
was provokingly the soft, red mouth
of a sorrowful child. She lounged far
down In her chair. her slight legs. clad
In riding-breeches of perfect cut,
stretched out straight, her timber
arms along the arms of the chair, her
chin sunk on her flat chest, and her
big. clear eyes staring into the fire.
1t was IN odd figure of n wife for
Jasper Morena, a Jew of thirty-eight.
producer and manager of plays.
When Betty Kane had run away
with him there had been lamentation
and rage In the houses of Kane and
Morena. To the pride of an old He
brew family. the marriage even of this
wandering son with n Gentle was
fully as degrading as to the pride of
the old Tory family was the marriage
with a jew. Her perverse Gaelic
blood. OF fire with the insults heaped
upon her lover. Betty, seventeen years
old, romantic. clever, would have
walked over flint to give her hand to
him. That was ten years ago. Now,
when Jasper came into her room, she
drew her quick brows together. puffed
mt her cigarette. and bllnked as though
she was looking at something dis
tasteful and at the same time rather
alarming.
'Have they stopped dancing, Jas
PERI" she asked in n voice that was at
once brusque and soft.
Jasper rubbed his hands de~liChtedly.
He was still merry. and came to stand
hear the fire. looking down at her with
eyes entirely kind and admiring.
Have you ever noticed Jane. who
cooks for the outfit, Betty?"
"Yes. She's horrible"
"She's extraordinary, and I mean to
get hold of her for Luck's play. Did
you read III"
Yes"
1.-THE play Is absolutely dependent
on the leading part and | have found
II simply impossible to fill. Now.
here's a IN of extraordinary grace
and beauty"
Betty lifted skeptical eyebrows.
twisted her timber mouth. but forbore
to contradict.
"And with a magical voice-a wom-
an who not only looks the part. but
is II. You remember Luck's heroine?"
Betty flicked off the ash Of her ciga-
rette and looked away. "a savage.
isn't she7 The nan has her tanned.
takes her back to London. and there
gives her cause for Jealousy and she
springs on him-yes, I remember.
This woman. Jane, is absolutely with
out education and hasn't a notion of
acting, I suppose"
Jasper rubbed his hands with in
creased delight. "Not n notion and
she murders the kings English. But
she is Luck's savage and-in spite of
-FOUR eyebrows. Betty-she is beauti-
full. I can school her. II will take
money, no end of patience, but ] can
do II. It's one of the things ! can
do. But. Of course. there's the initial
difficulty OF persuadlng her to try It,"
"That oughtn't to be any difficulty
Mt all. or course she'll jump at the
chance"
"I'm not so sure. She was ready TO
throw me out of the kitchen tonight.
She Is really n virngo. Do you know
what one of the men said about herr"
jasper laughed md Initiated the gentle
western drawl. James plumb movin'
10 me. She's about halfway between
You go to HI and You take me In
your arms 10 rest"
Betty smiled. Her smile WINS vastly
more mature than her appearance. IL
was clever and cynical and cold. The
Oriental. looking down at her, lost his
merriment.
..Do YOU feel better. dear7" he asked
t,mldly. 40 you think you VIII be
able TO go back next week.
She stood up as he came nearer
md walked over to the little table
TINT played the part Of dressing table
under a wnvy mirror. "Oh, yes.
am quite well. don't think the doc.
tors have much sense. I'm sure
hndn't anything like a nervous break
down. | was Just tired out"
jasper drew back the hand whose
touch she had eluded. and nervonsly'
his long supple fingers n little nn-
stendy. lighted n cigarette. AT that
he did not look Ike n spider
hut like n lover who hns been hurt
Betty could see In the mirror n as
torted Image OF his detected grncefu''
ness. but. entirely unmoved. she put
up her thin. brown hands and began
to take the pins out of her hair.
81 like your Jane experiment" she
- an