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gent personal matter. The mes
senger boy returned with the an-
swer that she would see him at 3
o'clock the next day. Promptly
at 3 he presented his card ancLwas
admitted into Miss Warrington's
private room.
"Oh !" she ejaculated, "are you
the son of Julian Forsythe?"
"Yes, but my father has heen
dead for many years; did you
know-hinr?," he inquired, wonder
ing uitHtdWoTd ind haggard she
looked tiow while in the evening!
from behjnd the footlights she
seemed youth personified.
Please be seated," she said in
her most charming manner. "You
look just as your father did years
ago, and all the applause and
glory cannot recompense me for
the honest, true devotion that he
offered me,, and which I scorned
and cast aside, dazzled by the
glamor of the stage,"
When she had finished, Julian
confided to her how similar his
father's experience was to his
own. A long'silence ensued, for
Miss Warrington's heart was
filled with conflicting emotions as
she reviewed the past, and real
ized that another young girl en
deavored to do exactly as she had
done, Hjer thoughts were inter
rupted -by Julian's voice. "At first
I thought you might think it pre
sumptuous on my part to bother
a stranger with my affairs, but
I'm glad I came now, and I hope
you will let me come often."
"Certainly. I will always be
'delighted to see you. Wemust
be friends, and to show that I
mean it, for the first time I shall
be too ill to act tomorrow night." s
"Thank you for your" kind in,-);?
tendons; but what .good will that,,
do?"
"Graziella will then have hernf
chance. She will also show thatu
she isn't at all capable of taking",
the part. When she realizes herf
-failure, no doubt if you ask herc
again at the crucial moment she. I
may give up all hopes of a stage-,
career." v
The stage manager could hard
ly believe his ears when he heard, ,
that the leading lady was too in-
disposed to appear at the evening
performance. He spent hour after
hour trying to urge her to -make 7
one great effort to aet, "You,;
know," he insisted, "that the lit-,. -tie
understudy will spoil the,,
whole piece. I never wo.uld havejj
engaged her if I had thought?
there was the remotest possibility q
of using her services. The next
time I let my sympathies run,
away with my better judgment it t
won-'t be my faXilt." The only ang
swer she gave iv that it was utI
terly impossible r her to leaver
the Hotel. Desperate, he sent ap
telegram to Miss Fernald, re
questing her to report immediate- J
ly at the theater, n ,
"Hurrah, hurrah !" she exclaim
ed. "At last X am going to be ah
star for one night, and who can
tell? Maybe forever." In greafia
haste she changed her gown, pu,tb
on her hat and cloak, and fairly
flew out of the louse. In a fevct,K
of excitement she reached th"a
theater. Just as she was about t na
go to the manager's office shaft
tripped on the step and turned her
memmmBsmmmaai
