Year: 1876

DOLPHIN'S HOLIDAY STORY
[John Latey, jr.. in London Dramatic


News.


81 tell you, Burt, this business
must be done tonight. Anti mas
ter of the show? Blame me if IL
stand the nonsense of this darnation
Britisher any longerr


"And I'll try my luck with his lit
tie English beauty at the same time,
! heard McDougall add to himself as
he crossed the stage, and followed
Burt out of the hall.


What could he mean?


Perhaps / mightn't have been toe
straight-laced. l had been too long
in the profession for that. But the
dark allusion to the bright little lady
of our company at once filed Inc
with suspicion. Maybe you've seen
the sea Lion at the 200" swaying
himself right and left in anxious ex
pectation of catching palatable
whiting from his keeper? Well my
anxiety impelled me to spring half
out of my tub, to sway to and fro in a
similar fashion, and to send quick
glance through the stage door at the
retreating figures of McDougall and
Burt.


I could see the snow lay thick on
the ground, and it was yet showing.
And across the lane l could just
make out Abram Lake standing at
the open door of his friends shanty.
Then the stage door was slammed
fast, and | should have been in COM
plete darkness had not faint light
from Il window opposite me relieved
the gloom somewhat.


The sight of Abram Lake reas-
sured me bit Somehow or other /
come to think he was we'll inclined
toward my favorite manager, Mf.
Martin.and his young and pretty wife.


Who could help being won indeed
by Bessie Martin? l couldn't for
one. There was such tender, trust
full look in her laughing blue eyes
that one was compelled to surrender
at discretion. She was frank to the
verge Of flirting, | now and then
thought, when others were favored by
her smiles and sweet speeches. And
sometimes felt an uncomfortable
feeling come over me when Martin,
poor mani bewildered over head and
ears with hard work, seemed to neg
lect his fairy of a wife, and gave Nc
Dougall more opportunities than was
prudent of being in Bessies COM
pany.


McDougall, it could not be denied,
was good looking, well-dressed man.
Whether his attentions were agreea-
bic to Bessie or whether she cheerful
ly endured them for polite reasons, L
couldn't quite make out. He used
generally TO be close handy when she
our one musician-deftly piled her
busy fingers and drew the sweetest
music possible from our rather crazy
piano, while | went through the
tricks which used to draw hundreds
every night to see the performing
Dolphin at Henryburgh. He would
turn over the pages of her music
book and, bending low, would always
be whispering something in her ear.
Had he been all the time leading up
to the outrage which he might even
now be attempting?


Were the differences that had ex-
listed between McDougall and Martin
throughout our tour in the States on
the point of being settled by vio-
lence? Martin had my heartiest
sympathy. Still it was impossible
for me to do aught but wait and be on
the alert for whatever might happen.


Family, as distant chime, the
merry tinkling of the sleigh bells
stole now and again into the silent
hall, and told me the good folks OF
Henryburghwere speeding l.ome from
their bracing ride over the snow.
Then all was quiet, till l heard the
sound of footsteps in the lane, and
the murmur of voices.


Ny heart almost ceased to beat, so
anxious was l listening. But for
hours all was silence. Twelve o'clock,
one o'clock chimed. The moonlight
at length cleaned through the WIN
dow, lighting up my little platform
and the cannon which surmounted it,
and which it was my crowning duty
to fire as the finale of my perform
ance Of night.


Two o'clock had struck when /
heard rustling noise outside, and
soon after saw black object appear
at the window.


1t was the face of Burt. Evident
ly the "business" was about to be
attempted by McDougall's tool.


/ instinctively leapt out on the
stage. Simultaneously the window
was raised by Burt, and he thrust his
head in.


Ny mind was instantly made up.
I was convinced that this burglari,
GUS visitation bodied no good to Mar.
tin; and it flashed upon me there was
only one means of awakening Mar
tins friend. Abram Lake.


| An inclined plank led up to my
cannon. Up this l wobbled as Burr
had almost entered the window
| Quick as thought snapped at the
string with my teeth and gave 8
smart pull. The usual fash and re-
port followed. And looking up I had
the satisfaction of seeing Burt, bis