The Arvada enterprise., 1924-03-20
CHAPTER xI-continued.

q lethargy. He had no heart to face
the future now that the great purpose
Of his life had failed. Holllwell's God
him. What did he want with God
when that one comrnde OF his lonely,
young, human life was out there lost
by his own cruelty! Perhaps she was
dead. Perhaps the wound had killed
her. For all these years she might
have been lying dead somewhere In
the snow. under the sky: Sharp pc
RODS OF pain followed dull periods of
stupor. Tow 1t was night agnin and
recollection Of Jaspcr's thenter ticket
had dragged him to a vague purpose.
Ile wanted to see again that woman
who had so vivifed his memory OF
Joan. 1t would be hateful to see her
again. but he wanted the pain. He
dressed and groomed himself care
fully. Then, feeling little faint. he
went out into the clattering. glarlng
night.
Pierre's experience of thenter- going
was exceedingly small. He had never
been In so large playhouse as this
one OF M0rena's: he had never seen
so large and well dressed an audience
never heard full and well-trained or
chestra. In spite OF himself. he began
to be distracted, excited. stirred.
When the curtain rose on the benuti-
Cul tropical scene. the lush island. the
turquoise sen, tie realistic strip of
golden sand, Pierre gave an audible
oath OF admiration and surprise. The
people about him began to be amused
by the excitement of this handsome.
haggard young man. so graceful and
intense, so different with his hardness
and lcanness. the brilllance OF his eyes,
the brownness Of his skin. His clothes
were good enough, but they fitted him
with an odd air of disguise. An expert
cnccd eye would inevitably have seen
the appropriateness OF flannel shirt.
gny silk neck k-handkeSrhief, boots. spurs
and chaparrcrus. Pierre was entirely
unaware OF being interesting or differ
ent. At that moment, caught up in
the action of the play. he was as out
side of himself MS II child.
The palms OF stage-land stirred. the
ferns swaycI: between their tall vivid
grcenness came Joan with her tread
and grace and watchful eyes Of a leop-
ardcss. her loose. wild hair decked
with flowers: these and her makeup
and her thlnncss disguised her com
plctely from Pierre. but again his
heart came to his throat md, when
she put her hands up to her mouth
md called, his pulses gave leap. He
calling him in to supper, ''Pi-erre
Pierre" lie could sniff the smoke of
his cabin fire. lie opened his eyes.
OF course she wasn't Joan. this
strange. gaunt creature Besides. his
wife could never have done what this
woman was doing. Why. Joan
couldn't talk like this. she couldn't act
to save her soul! She was rs simple
ms n child, and shy. with the unself-
conscious shyness OF Wild things. To
be sure. this "nctress-lady" was max
Ing believe she was n wild thing. and
she was doing II almighty well, but
Joan had been the reality. and grave
md still part OF his own big. grave
mountain country. not n fierce. man
devourlnr animal Of the tropics. Pierre
lived In the play with all but one frag.
mcnt of his brain, and that rcmem-
hcrcd Joan. II hurt like hot coal
but he deliberately ignored the pain
OF H.
He followed the action brca'hlcssly.
npplaudcd with contagious fcrvor. sur
when. In the last scene. the angry. jcal
Gus woman sprnng upon her tanner. he
.mut'crcd. Serve you right. you coy
SteI" with nm oath OF the cow.camp
that made one Of his ncighbors jump
nnd throttle II startled laugh.
The curtain fell and while the MP.
pinusc rose and died down and rose
Hga!n. and the people called for "Jane
West Jane West =" the stage dIrcc-
tor. plump little Jew. came out be-
hind the foo'l!ghts and held up his
hand. There was gradual silence.
II want 10 make an Interesting nm.
.noupccmcnt." he said: THE author Of
The Lcopardoss' has hitherto main.
tn'ncd his anonymity, but tonight |
have permission 10 give you his name.
lie Is In the thcntcr tonight. The
name IL already familiar to you ms
Tint Of the nut'in, 4 n popular novel.
The Canyon: Prosper Gael"
There was n stir Of interest. n gen.
.crnl searching Of the house. clapping.
cries Of Author Author" and IN n
few moments Prosper Gael left his
box and appeared beside the director
lin answer to the calls. lie was en-
tircly sclf.posscsscd. looked even Il
little bored, but he was very white
lie stood there bowling. N graceful and
h,trnctly. figure. and he was nbou, Il
begin n speech when he was Interrupt
bed by II renewed calling Tor Jan,
| Iwcstl" The audience wanted TO So,
/ lth. .inr nnb rho uuIhpr SID, lac ,IJn