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Show HER JFJtlBNI) SA IJ) NO. The manager llifcw the manuxrlpt donn upon the table, tilled Ms ihslr thrust his hat n little further back on h's head, nnt gnto twu or three aatls fled puff ol,ht djwr Wovo sot a winner there (olby" ho announced decisively The stage manager took up the manuscript and looked over the Hat of characters l,ook like It If oti get the right penile ' he assented; 'but It calls for a atroi f, company " Oh I tout spare cipense' lm going to ghu It a production that will make It the talk of l-on Ion Itssplen dldty advertised already m know Tho peoile arc crmy oier Crlnton s Viiuk nn I this Is Iho best thing lies done Supposing wo could let the pro pie how would you cast It? Heverly nf tourso, for Uirl lloth ay Norrla for tho heavy lllerionfir young Hal llnrr) for Sir Jerry lieu ton for the low comely Mrs Irlsly for tho downier Cnrhrl Iko for the earl ho s the best ol I man nn the stag. a for tl o alvcntureea went on the stage manager, checking oft each name rapidly ns ho spoke l-sljr vi lints her namoT I don t know a w iman wl could beat Wallace lu mat role nna be treat! 1 lltle Dsllahoy would make a gool Kitty IHrllng the part suits her down to the ground' Tha manager took his cigar from his mouth nnl caret nt It niwlliatuclr ' Don l let such a trifle ns the salary Hit bother you ' ho commented briefly Colby alotprd hi checking to look keenly at Ills chief ' ouve gol to havo tho best ' he answered I know they re nil high priced but It will iay you to cngago them How nbout 1-ady Clare? asked tho managef ouvu mentioned nolody fir that, and It the star role of tho Ilece I don t know 1 rot een running that aver ever alnco I rend tho play and no body 1 vo Ihuught of seems to equal It. There Maul Letter shod look tho part to perfection and the a aympa thftlc but sho haan t the potter Helen Draey got power and Intelligence but she hain t tho look Can you suggest nnyboly? The success of the ploco depends on !n ly Clare "I know of only ono wom:n who ran play It n It should be played an I has the look to go with it ' said the man ager That I dlth Klngsley Tho ataga manager shrugged his boulders. Her declination waa very deel ltd ho rouarkc 1 I ve known women to change their CAN OV ANSWril THVT Aiiau- MENTT minds occasionally! ' said tho man ager, with flippant sarcasm Hut sho said her retirement waa Anal that sho would never act agiln Tho manager bestowed a look of pity on his subordinate ' Klngsley had the world nt her feet when she married and retired two years ago Sho had time to think It ovor, my boy, tie novelty of private bliss must bate worn off somewhat by this time ' Colby garo another look at tho manuscript 'If you can get her It a success " be said He had too much on his mind to enter en-ter Into the ethic of the philosophy of a woman change of mind Tho manager gave another self sat Iif!e4 puff at his cigar ' I II see Klngsley today, he said Two hour later he waa ushered Into the pretty drawing room of a house In a fashionable quarter of tho city With hi practiced eye bo took In the handsome surroundings wbllo the neat maid carried bis card to her mistress. ' She got all the money she want ' thought tho manager, ' but money Isn t everything to an ambitious woman Something on a table noar by attracted at-tracted bis attention He wont to It tnd took up a large tinted photograph It a beautiful grave eyed girl In lullct bridal robes ' 11 ml he chuckled Sim ham t .orgotten ber old triumphs ' Al he put down tho picture the mil jtss of the houso entered tho room ind greeted him with outstretched 1 .and How glad I am to ico you Mr Hunt. Is this a social vlL? ith a keen professional eye to ( tect he looked on tho beautiful worn in before blm on the queenly poie of tho atately flxuro on the deep Ml lashing dark eyes with their long lashes and perfectly curved brows oa tho straight patrician nose, with Its thin dellcato nostrils on the small red mouth, with Its short upper lip ind Its Cupid a bow on tho white resolute chin cleft with n deep dim pie, on the delicately clear cheek, with It faint rose flush on the soft wave Vi the masse of vehety black hair lad tho managerial heart within blm I ise In revolt against this waste of youth and beauty on tho drstrt of prl H vale Ufa "My dear Mis Klngsley I beg par- H dnn Mr Arnold I have como In per H son to urge the offer 1 mado In my tM letter Hut I answered your letter I" she H ret I ted smiling but with a very de elded rurv! to tho red lips "I ara M happily married my old ambition are dead fM The manager a eyes turned In a swift D glance tnwnrd the Juliet photograph H Her voice dropped sit Idcnly Ut I never had n home before, I lived W on the sUgri H lUat ehll I setrewi we ever had!' Ej promptly broke In the manager ' Now jf listen to me Ho pulled out his KJ watch Will you give me half an jh hour I want to show you what you are throwing away Nature had en towel iho manager with a gift of plausible eloquence which had tided over many a crisis lu hla theatrical career but never hal tin sounded to plausible so eloquent, even to himself as wheu he tried bis persuasive powers on tho woman before be-fore him hen hi half hour was uiiled le felt that ho hat mnde good use of II Don t think mo Inhospltablo If I i'uii e iiiina mo iniiospiiauio u must nsk you to My goodl y he said a sho held out her hand ' You have spoken very persuasively but I can not amtvicr you at once. I have a dear frienl a ery dear friend whom I must consult Como tomorrow, and )uu shall have my answer When tho manager walked Into the office hla face waa glowing I think you may caat Mlsa Kings-ley Kings-ley for Udy Clare ho sail Tho stago manager looked up Incredulously In-credulously on don t mean to say sho ha con- acnted? I Well shea to talk It over with a friend and 1 m to go for her answer tomorrow Hut I rather think Colby, i that friend Is going to decide In our favor ' The manager still felt sure when he I went next day for his answer It was not In human nature he argued to refuso to sparklo as a bright partlcu- , lar star In the leading production of the season That woman Isn t human hu-man It she resists It,' bo murmured Just a tho tall graceful flguro bo was mentally posing before the newspaper camera entered W ell? ho said 1 have consulted my adviser, and t am convinced that my orlglual deel alon was best The manager groaned aloud ' 'My denr Mrs Arnold he aald, "l think If I could see your friend and talk to him 1 could convince blm that ' you aro making a mistake, ' Sho shook her head i 'III opinions ara very I osltlvo ' ' You don t object to my calling on him? 4, She smiled ' Not at all And he Is Tory near i In fact ho happens Just now to be In the house Will you come with me?' Tha manager followed her, a little m stifled ' She threw open a door and they en tared a large room flooded with sunshine sun-shine 'Hero I my friend, Mr Hunt, Hols ready to bear all your argument." The mauuger uilrly gasped with as-tonlihmout, as-tonlihmout, lie found himself stand Ir g al a little crib In which lay a fat, round rosy babr crowlnr to himself in icrfett content 'Tie gentleman want to talk to you darling she said bending ovor, with a tcuder thrill In her voice now to the man standing beside her, well as ho thought he knew It every accent ac-cent The baby s great bright eyes looked up at them, then as ho saw bis mother moth-er foco binding over him ho gurgled ecstatically, while the little face broke Into dimples of delight, the fat little list clutched eagerly at her, and the bare rosy little heels beat a triumphant trium-phant tattoo In accompaniment to the gurgles Mam roam mam I bo cooed rapturously raptu-rously She turned to the manager with shining eyes Mr Hunt, can you answer that argument?' lly this time the manager bad ro I covered himself My dear madam this is hardly j fair " ho began ' lly by, ' said the baby Answer! |