Show I The Confessions of a Manicurist Copyright 1917 1317 b by Mazlo Corf Cort I R XIV SI Continued er E Every nerve nervo In my bod body was tingling with excitement A romance such as would shame the plots of or the most versatile versatile ver ver- sallIe highly imaginative fiction writer was being enacted un under ler In my cr very roof root I met metra Myra ra in Los Angeles Angelos She was vas the daughter o of Rex Sultan and arid to my eyes COS a princess To aspire to her hel was like reaching for Cor a star I loved her from the moment I saw her She was sweet and dear So dl dignified and yet et so o h by her position and the luxury In which she lived Men of or wealth and position and charming boswith boys bos with nothing nothing- to recommend id ud them but buta a clean slate and their young manhood aspired for her hand I spoke no word of m my love lo until b by her actions and her hel smile site she he showed that o of all the men in the world she sho had picked out me inc Because e you OH you ou Interpolated Myra giving hl his hand a squeeze Dont interrupt me inc he lie said with mock muck sternness this Is my story I told Myra 1 of or m my love Jo and she promised herself to me I was waH the happiest manin man manIn manin in the tho world but hut Mr 11 Sultan for some reason 1 refused his consent 1 admit I Iwas Iwas was not worthy worth of at Myra No man was But I was not a hunter fortune as Mr Ir Sultan supposed cd I J am nm not poor 1001 My 1 father ather left me a small m sum slim of money mane and besides I 1 had already alread made good with m my pen 1 write under the name o of Selden Rogers Selden Rogers Rogel'S I exclaimed breathlessly breath breath- lessly The writer of the brilliant scientific stories and nd of ot the plays that were electrifying tho the public Yes res he hc continued but I 1 saw fit to keep leep It a secret and no one knew how I derived my income So you ou see Mee dear and you also Alma that no one could accuse me of or loving Myra Ira for Cor her material material material ma ma- possessions I wanted to beloved be bo loved Jo blindly by m my own girl That was waR a R foolish Idea I had On the night we eloped when Myra Ira started started started start start- ed to cry ery and wanted to back out I J had to be cross to her or I R would have hav thrown myself at her feet feel and beseeched beseeched be- be her to marry marn m me I spoke o of an allowance from tram her herr father Just to test her I wanted to see If she could believe belle mo me mercenary I must say dear you O J did not the test ver very well welt Dont sa say that Boh Bob Myra Ira cried T I was wasp frightened and then I was so young ou n 1 That Is all past now After Arter T I took Myra Ira to her home I decided she did not love e me J I was In despair I rushed to m my apartments and ordered m my man to pack up The Thc next morning I sailed for the orient It was months before I heard of oC Mr 11 Sultans Sultan's death I cabled but hut received recci no response I was wae almost frantic with suspense As AR fast as the tho steamer would bring me I went back to Los lAS Angeles but when I reached there Myra Iyra had disappeared and left Jert no trace Even the detectives I employed em em- failed to find her It WH was a as if IC the earth had opened and swallowed her hel In time the tho wound healed but Jt I never ne forgot Myrn Myra I am but human and lon longed ed for tor or her companionship Marion la Taggart alt entered my mv my life lIrt She Is all that Is IH lovely ly in girlhood and I grew to rare lure for Ol her hor but hul not with the strong lasting lasting love I have given to Myrn Myra I could not noto go back to her even If Rh she sho would m my heart Is here I 1 only hope Marlon will forget forgot for for- got get and forgive or me the tho unwitting unhappiness un- un happiness I J have ha caused her And now I asked Wedding U redding bolls bells As soon as aA I have havo completely recovered reco Myra Iyra is going to marry rIy me I am and so to glad 1 I J murmured and I wish wisht you OU both jo joy y from flom the bottom of at my mr heart But Hut Myra Ira what about your our offer otter from Constantino That is all allover lover lover now now Alma A ca career Career career ca- ca reer Is merely r something with which a woman fills tills the tho void old in her hor empty empt life What means the plaudits of ot the world compared to a af husband Success may flatter fl one th the approval of the multitude multi multi- multitude tude may he but when the echoes echoe of or app applause applause so aI die aw away y and one goes foed back to emt empty home It will not open Its inns to embrace one ono or ori i Utter soothing words to chen cheer ono onn on ones one's wa way I 1 lIke ever every woman vo-m vo n na a want wanta t tn n a home and ancl a ahU husband band and little ones If Ie it please Goo God Bob had hud He lie was big enough to have gained success himself and not to refuse Myra the tho right to make the most of her talents You cannot cannot Ink SInk your oui personality In mine You have hae talent A vol voice co given you ou to gladdon the world and I cannot be selfish enough to deny you ou your our share of 01 this Ufos Ufo's work When tho they dedicated their lives to each other othel Dr Mardorf Dr Mardorf and I were the tho sole sale witnesses When the they boarded the tho train to Los Angeles Angeles Myras Myra's former I home hom I pelted them with rico rice and old shoes and nd kisses that were moist with the tears that streamed unchecked down m my cheeks an and then I went back sadly to m my solitary abode I It was I who told lold Marion Marlon Taggart of or the wedding jl I told her the story as Bob Dob had told lold me and it soothed her I heart At almost the tho same samo hour Bob and Mra started on their honeymoon through tho the golden west Marlon Marion with her lier parents turned their I faces races toward the tho east R XV X city pa passed sea mo me h by I r was vas In It It T THE but not 01 of It t Da Day after atter du day the maddening rush rUtih went on but I was stranded on a u. de desert island with no oneto ono one onoto to care what of good or HI befell me My Iy friends were all awn away with the exception exception exception ex ex- of ot Re Re coylyn and I must sn say Regg Reggy Reg- Reg g gy by V was lS i a grin In those trying da days s 's He gave e a up all aU Idea of carrying on a flirtation with wit me and though he Jollied Jollied jollied Jol jol- lied me alon along enough h to bo be amusing he played tho the loyal ft friend lend He Ho must have ha had an inklin Inkling O of what was In the wind ivied I do o believe neg y for tor all his boyish thoughtlessness felt sorry formy for formy my solitary stale state I Frequently he would saunter into tho the ton tonsorial parlor and nd In his offhand wa way vay would say How about a little tonight Alma 1 We e a might go to dinner first out in n the countr country And I would t Joyfully CUll n agree reo My oly solitary solitary soli soil tar tary meals cho choked cd me the and the Intense heat hlat of the su summer inci made the apartment apartment apartment apart apart- ment far tar from fro comfortable It helped to pa pass the tho time tinie time while I was ivas waiting Waiting for Jonson and for whatever his hla love lo would bring me Johnson hadnot had hadnot hadnot not as yet returned r fled from his trip to the seashore ea resort that harbored hl his hla wife and children children e oblige ho could not vcr very cry well write to me m while ho he was negotiating with his legal partner partner part part- ner for tor a u. sep separation rf On Only one ono telegram tele tele- telegram gram had I received un and l that merely asked me use to ha have havo o p patience tl and wall wait robe continued I I |