The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-01-07

TO have been her bridesmaid. Blu
she knew no more of Sybil,
secrets since Jim Dallas had disap
peared than anyone else. And SHE
never sought to know-that wal
why the friendship held.
They had II great deal to talk
about, but chiefly Twelfth Night
affairs. Anne was immensely
pleased that Sybil had agreed to
play. She did not say that-she
avoided any allusi0n TO Sybifs re
cent conducting of her life-but
her enthusiasm about it all was
Irresistible. 1t warmed the sad
eyed girl into interest the Viola
costume was brought from its cup
board, the golden wig tried on.
When Anne took her departure
late In the day, she felt much re-
Jieved about her friend-she was
Coming back" coming back alive
again.
Anne occupied another little fiat
on another of the midtown streets
in another of. the browpstone
houses. Hers was one room larger,
for her brother, Joe Tracy, lived
with her when not pursuing his
profession on the road. There
were hiatuses in yoe's pursuit dur
ing which he Inhabited a small
bedroom in the rear and caused
Expense. Joe apparently did not
worry, certainly not about the e4-
bense. Absence OF work Wore on
his temper, not because Anne had
to carry the fiat alone, but because
he had no Spending money.
They said il was his temper that
stood in his way, Something did,
for he was an excellent actor, with
that power of transforming him
self into an empty receptacle to be
filled by the character be por-
trayed. But directors who had had
experience with him, talked about
his natural meanness" and shook
their heads. People who tried TO
be sympathetic with Anne about
him got little satisfaction. All the
most persistent ever extracted
was an admission that Joe was
difficult Hugh Bassett had
boosted and helped and lectured
him. And not for love of Joe, for
I'm his heart Bassett thought him
a pretty hopeless proposition.
That evening, alone in her par
Tor, Anne was thinking about him.
He had no engagement and no ex-
pectation of one, and it was not
wise to leave him alone in the fiat
without occupation. She went TO
the window and leaned out. The
air rose from the street GREATNESS
and dead, the heated eIhslation of
walls and pavements baked all day
by the merciless sun. TO leave Joe
TO this while she was basking In
the delights of Gull island-apart
from anything he might dot
wasn't fair. And then suddenly the
expression of her face changed and
she drew in from the window
Hugh Bassett was coming down
the street.
The bell rang, she pushed the
button, and presently he was at
the door saying he was passing
and thought he'd drop in for a min
ute. He was "A big, thick-set man
with a quiet, %reposeful quality I'M
shaken even by the heat. He had
dropped in a great deal this sum
mer and rs the droppings-in be-
came more frequent Anne's outside
engagements became less. They
always simulated a mutual sur
prise, giving them time to get over
that somewhat breathless moment
of meeting.
They achieved it rather better
than usual tonight, for their minds
were full of the same subject. Bas-
sett had come 10 impart the good
news about Sybil, and Anne had
seen her and heard all about it.
when they had thrashed
out all the matters of first impor-
lance, Bassett said:
Did you tell her that Walberg
wanted Aleck Stokes for the
Duke?"
mo, l didn't say a word about
It.. What was the use? 1t would
only have upset her and you'd put
a stop to it."
you can always be relied on,
Anne, to do the tactful thing. Wal
berg was set on it. Stokes can't
be beaten in that part, and he's at
liberty. But l wasn't going to
take any chances of her refusing,
and If Stokes was in the company
| was afraid she might"
Il don't know whether she'd
have gone that far, but it would
have spoiled everything for her
and for the rest of us, too. It's
all plain sailing now except for
one thing"-she stopped and then
in answer to his questioning look
about the police. If they have
her under surveillance, as people
say. what1l they do about it up
The big man shrugged:
Camp in the village IN the
nainland-they certainly can't
on the island. We've special
Instructions about it-no II but
the company to be allowed there
Ill the performance. Did she
peak TO YOU about that?'
"No. she hardly ever alludes to
he subject. But they would keep
/ watch on her, wouldn't they?'
He nodded, frowned a little at
/ complication new in his expert
,nce.
81 should think sO-a woman in
Ter position. Men under sentence
# death have been unable to
,eep away from the girl they were