Show THE T i HILL i 1 HILLMAN ILL MAN MANBy PL N By OPPENHEIM OPPE THE MASTER g J C TM THIt K AH A AH Mt M SY V COVAY COMPAN CHAPTER XV XV Continued 9 9 I Its wonderful 1 Sophy declared Try ry and bear the thread of It all In I your mind For Fr two acts you have been asked to focus your attention the Increasing brutality of the them marquis m Remember that wont won't you youl Not likely to forget It it John re re- plied piled How well they all act I There was a quarter er of an hours hour's i Interval before re the curtain rose again Rumors Humors concerning the last act had been floating about for weeks and the house was almost t tense nse with excitement excitement excitement excite excite- ment as the curtain went up The scene scene was the country chateau of the Marquis de Guy who brought a noisy crowd o of companions from Paris without ut any warning warn His wife showed signs of dismay at his coming He had brought with him women whom she he declined to receive The gre great t scene between her husband husband husband hus hus- band and herself took look place in the square hall of the chateau on the first floor Louise reaffirms her Intention of f leaving the house Her husband laughs at her Her position Is hope hope- less What can you do I he mocks She She shrugs her sho shoulders and passes Into her room The marquis sinks upon a s settee and presently Is Joined by byone one of the ladles who who have hav traveled with him from Paris H He talks to her of the pictures upon the wall She Is Impatient to meet th the Marquise de deu Guy u The marquis knocks at his wife's door Her voice is heard c clearly after a moments moment's pause 3 j Jin n a few v minutes minutes she replies The The marquis resumes his flirtation His companion becomes impatient impatient- the marquis has pledged his word that she she- should be received by his wife An ancient enmity against the Marquise le Ie Guy prompts her to insist The he marquis shrugs his shoulders and knocks more loudly than ever at athis athis his wife's door She comes mes' mes mesut out ut df dressed for travel and Is ii Ismet met by Faraday who suddenly appears You asked me what I could do she says pointing to her lover You see now 1 There wa was wad a moments moment's br breathless s si silence sl- sl fence lence through the house i The scene in itself was wasa a little beyond anything that the audience had expected Sophy who had been leaning over the edge of the box turned turne around In no little anxiety She heard heard the h door slam John had disappeared d f He left the theater with theater with only his hat hatIn hatin hatin in his hand turning up his coat by Instinct Instinct In In- stint as he passed through the driving the driving rain All his ls senses seemed tingling with some nameless ss l horror The brilliance bril brn hence liance of the language the subtlety of the situation seemed like some evil trail drawn across that one horrible climax It was Louise who had come from that room rooD and pointed to Faraday Faraday Fara Fara- day dayl He reached reached his rooms rooms rooms-he he scarcely knew how how and and walked upstairs There he threw oft off some of his dripping garments garments gar gar- ments ments- opened ments-opened opened the window wide and stood there He looked out over the Thames and there w was s a red flare fiare before his eyes St Stephen phen was right he told himself There was nothing but evil to be found here nothing but bitter disappointment disappoint disappoint- ment nothing but the pain which deepens deepens deepens deep deep- ens into anguish Better to remain like Uke Stephen unloving and and unloved to draw nearer to the mountains to find tInd Joy in the crops and the rain and the sunshine to listen stonily to the cry of f human beings as if to some voice from an an unknown world He leaned a n little further from the window and gazed Into the court at a dizzy depth below He had cut himself adrift from froni the peace which might have been his He would never know again the Joys of his earlier life It was for this that he had fought so many batties battles bat bat- ties clung so tightly to one Ideal for Ideal for Louise who ho could show herself to anyone anyone any any- one ne who cared to pay his shilling or his half half guinea guinea glorying in her dishonor dishonor dishonor dis dis- honor worse than glorying In It find It-find- find finding ing some subtle humor in the little gesture gesture gesture ture with which she had pointed unashamed unashamed unashamed un un- un- un ashamed to her lover John bc bent t a little lower tower from the window A sudden dizziness seemed to have come over him Then he ho was forced to turn around His door had been quickly opened and shut It was was Sophy who was crossing toward him the he rain streaming from her ruined opera cloak l ak John I I l she cried Oh John I She led him back his chair and knelt b by his side Sh She held his hands tightly You mustn't feel like this she she sobbed you mustn't John really I You dont don't und understand Its It's all a play Louise wouldn't really do anything like that I He shivered d Nevertheless he het clutched her hands and drew her closer t to to him Do please listen to me she begged Its nil ail over Louise Is herself herself herselt her her- self again Louise again Louise MaureL The Marquise Marquise Marquise Mar Mar- quise de Guy GuYl never lived except upon those boards It Is simply a creation Any Anyone one of the great actress net ac- ac t r tresses tress s would play that part and glory gloryn In en n J ice J.- the tb very ery greatest John Jolin Oh its it's so hard to make you understand LouIse LouIse Louise Lou Lou- ise Is waiting for tor you They are all waiting at the supper party You are expected You must go and tell her that you think It was wonderful 1 I He rose slowly to his feet and caught at her hands roughly Supposing I wont won't go gol he whispered whispered whispered whis whis- hoarsely Supposing I Supposing I I keep you here Instead Sophy I She swayed for a moment Something Something Some Some- thing flashed into her face and passed away away She was paler than ever Dear John she begged pull yourself yourself yourself your your- self together I Remember that Louise I is waiting wafting for you Its It's Louise you want want not not me Nothing that she has done tonight should make her any the less worthy of you and your love He- He strode strod away Into the farther room He reappeared in a a moment or two his hair smoothly bru brushed a hed his tie newly arranged d. d Ill come little girl he promised I dont don't kno know what Ill I'll say t to her but Ill I'll come There cant can't be any harm In that I Of course not not she answered vered cheerfully cheer cheer- fully Youre the most terrible goose John she added as they walked down the corridor Do please lose your air The whole whole world Is at Louises Louise's feet tonight You mustn't let lether iker her know how absurdly you have been feeling Tomorrow you you will find that every paper In London will be acclaiming acclaimIng acclaiming acclaim acclaim- ing her genius s. s John squared his shoulders All th the same he declared grimly if I c coal corata ri burn th the theater and the play arid and lock up for a month month- tO tonight Ight Fd Pd do doit I it CHAPTER XVI The days and weeks drifted Into 1 months and John remained in London His Ills circle of friends and his Interests had widened It was only his relations relations relations rela rela- with Louise which r remained still unchanged Always charming to him Mm giving him much of her time favoring him beyond a doubt more than any of her admirers rs there was was yet about about her something elusive something which seemed intended to keep him so far as possible at arms arm's length There was nothing tangible of which he could complain and this proba probationary probation probation- on- on ary period was of his own suggestion He bore It grimly holding his place whenever whenever it vas h was possible by her side with dogged persistence Th Then n one evening evening evening eve eve- ning there was a knock at his door and Stephen walked in Stephen although he seemed a little taller and gaunter than ever though he s seemed to bring tiring into the perhaps ps armed atmosphere of Johns John's little little lit lit- tle the sitting room something of the cold austerity of his own domain had evidently evidently evidently evi evi- evi- evi dently come In no unfriendly spirit t. He took both his brothers brother's hands in his his and gripped them warmly I ul cant can't tell you how glad I am to see y you u Stephen I John declared It has been an effort to me to come Stephen admitted I am one of the old fashioned old What I feel is pretty well locked up Inside The last time you and I met perhaps I spoke too much so here Iam Iam lami I l- am ami Its fine tIne of you John declared I remember nothing of that day We will I I m 3 li a t Its Louise You Want Want Not Not Me look at things squarely together even where we differ Im I'm- I Im I'm m- m He lIe broke of off In the middle of his sen sen- tence The door had been suddenly opened and Sophy Gerard made a somewhat impetuous entrance Im Im absolute absolutely y sick of ringing John she exclaimed Oh Oil I beg your pardon I I hadn't the least Idea you had anyone with you you She stood still stUl in surprise a little apologetic smile upon her er lips John hastened forward and welcomed her Its all right Sophy he be declared t. t Let me Introduce introduce my my brother may I Il My 1 brother Stephen Stephen Miss Miss Sophy Gerard Stephen rose slowly from his place I JoM IDE down fown his pipe and bowed stiffly ly to Sophy She held out her hand however however however how how- ever and smiled up at him delightfully How nice of you to come and see your poor lonely brother l 1 she said We have done our best to spoil him but Im I'm afraid he is very homesick sometimes I hope youve you've come to stay a long time and to learn all about London London London Lon Lon- don as John is doing If you are half as nice as he is well we'll give you such a good time I From his great height Stephen looked down upon the girls girl's upturned face a little austerely She chattered away entirely unabashed I do hope youre you're not shocked at my bursting in upon your t brother rother like this I We really are great pals and I Ilive Ilive Ilive live only Just across the way We are much less formal up here you know than you are In the country John John-I've John Ive I've brought you a message from Louise About tonight She nodded Louise Is most frightfully sorry sorry she explained but she has to go down downto to Streatham to open a bazaar and she cant can't possibly be back hack In time to dine before the theater Can you guess what she dared to suggest I I Z 1 think I can John replied smiling Say you will theres there's a a adear dear she begged I am not playing tonight May 1 Enser Is Is' going on In my place We arranged arranged- it a week ago I had bad two fines tInes to p pay y on Saturday and I haven't had lad a decent meal this week But I Iliad had forgotten she broke off with a sudden note of disappointment in her tone Theres your brother I take you away from him Well all have dinner together John suggested come of course Stephen I Stephen shook his head I Thank you jou Tou he said I am due at atm m my hot hotel l. l Im I'm going back to Cumberland Cumberland Cumberland Cumber Cumber- land tomorrow morning and my errand Is already done You will do nothing of the sort I f IJohn John declared Please be amiable Sophy begged If you wont won't come with us s I shall shall simply run away and leave you with John You needn't look at I your clothes sl she e went went on We can go to toa a a. grillroom jJohn John shant dress either I II want you to tell me e all about Cumberland Cumberland Cumberland Cum Cum- berland where this brother of yours l lives v He d doesn't t tell ll us s half eno enough I 1 John passed his arm through his br brothers brother's and led him away I Come and have a w wash old chap he he said They They dined together at Luigi's a curiously assorted trio trio Sop Sophy i be between b between be- be tween the two men supplying a distinctly distinctly distinctly dis dis- FlIe alien note She l e was always ys gay always amusing but although she addressed most of her lier remarks to Stephen he n never ver once nce unbent He ate and drank simply seldom speaking of himself or his plans and firmly nega nega- t all ail their suggestions for the there there- remainder re remainder re- re of ot the evening Occasionally he glanced at t the e clock John became conscious of a certain feeling of curiosity curl curl- which l In n a sense Sophy shared Your brother seems to me like a aman aman aman man with a purpose she said as as they stood in the entrance hall on their way out of the restaurant Like prophet a with a mission perhaps I should say say John nodded In the little passage where they stood he and and Stephen seemed to dwarf the passers passersby passers by The Themen Themen he men In their evening clothes and pallid palUd pallid faces seemed suddenly Ins insignificant and the women like dolls For the last time Stephen John hall said wont you come to a music with us I have hav made my plans for forthe the evening evening evening eve eve- ning thank you Stephen St phen replied holding out his hand Good night I He left them standing there and walked off down the Strand John lookIng lookIng looking look- look Ing after him frowned He was conscious conscious conscious con con- of a certain foreboding I I suppose Sophy sighed as they waited wafted for a taxicab we shall spend the remainder of the evening in the usual fashion I eDo e Do you mind I John asked No she assented resignedly That play will end by making a driving idiot of me If Louise Is tired tonight though I warn you that I shall insist upon supper Its a bargain J John hn promised Well WeI drive Louise home honre and then then Ill I'll take you back to We haven't been out together for some time trine have we She Sha looked up at him with a little grimace and patted his Land You have neglected me she s saidI saidI said ld I think all these fine ladles ladies have turned your head She drew a little closer to him and passed her arm through his John made no responsive movement He was filled fined with resentment at the sensation of pleasure that her affectionate gesture gestur gesture ture tur gave him The curtain was up and the play in progress when they rel reached cheil the box that John had taken for the for the seas season season n. n The spell of f It ft all nn against which he had had so often otten fought came over over John anew He set his chair chair- back against the wall and watched and listened a veritable sense sens of hypnotism creeping over o his s senses Pr Presently the same Impulse which had come to him so many times before induced him to turn his head to read in the faces of the audience audience au au- au the reflection of her genius He had often watched those long lines long lines of faces changing each In Its Us own way under the magic of her ber art Tonight he Ike looked beyond He knew very well that his search had a special object Suddenly he gripped the arms of his chair In the front row pit sitting sit ting head and shoulders taller than the themen themen themen men men and women who lounged over the wooden rest in front of them wa was Steph Stephen n. n More Mor than ever among ng these surroundings he be seemed to represent something almost patriarchal patriarchal patri pats archal a forbidding and disapproving spirit sitting in Judgment upon some som modern and rind unworthy wantonness His Bill face stern stem and grave showed little I sign of approval or disapproval but to Johns John's apprehending eyes the critical sense was there the verdict fore fore- I doomed He understood as in a flash that |