The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE OTHER SIDE startling incident, rushed back stage. Hale, falling over a few people in getting from his seat, hurried in the same direction. The first thing he and Williams learned was that Miss Marshall, Anne’s under- study, believing that she was no longer wanted, had left the theater before the incident occurred. Sinclair was pacing back and forth like a maniac, hurling choice remarks at every- body and everything in general. Williams grabbed him by the arm. “What does it mean?” he demanded. “Where is Miss Travis?” Sinclair turned to him, his face con- vulsed with rage. ‘“‘[’m done for,” he shouted. ‘ That girl has made a laughing-stock of me.” Back stage came the strains of the or- chestra playing a lively rag-time air. The leader realizing that something had gone wrong, had the presence of mind to start the music. . “I’m a laughing-stock,” Sinclair roared again. “Great grief, Williams, what am I to do?” But Williams was already accosting Rey- nolds, the stage manager. “Where is Miss Travis?” he demanded. “In her room,’ Reynolds answered. “‘ Absolutely refuses to go on. Say, Frank, what’s it all about?” “Never mind that now,” Williams cut in, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. ‘“ Hurry, Reynolds, they’re starting a racket out front, and unless they’re stopped it will turn into a riot.” ‘““What’s to be done?” Reynolds asked, with the air of a man who is perfectly helpless in such an emergency.” Williams shoved his handkercheif back into his pocket and grabbed the stage man- ager by the shoulder. ‘“‘ Some one has got to go before the cur- tain and explain.” ‘But what is there to explain?” Rey- nolds wanted to know. ‘“‘ What can we say?” Leaving the stage manager abruptiy, Williams passed into the first entrance and the next second stood before the curtain ready for a speech. Immediately the music and handclapping OF THE CURTAIN. 181 that had been trying to drown each other stopped. “Ladies and gentlemen,” said Williams in a faltering voice, “I regret to inform you that the performance cannot go on. If you will present your seat checks at the box- office, your money will be refunded.” Bowing slightly, he swung on his heel and disappeared. Astonished, and realizing that something was «wrong, the audience slowly made preparations to depart. Seats were banged back with warlike sounds, comments exchanged here and there, some unpleasant, and others treating the affair as a joke. There was not one in the audience who could understand the meaning of it all. Everything was a mystery. Several newspaper men who had been in the orchestra, made a hurried exit to get to the stage-door, seeing the possibilities of a good story. The orchestra began playing, tearing off some discordant notes, for the musicians were aS much bewildered as any one, and it was not long before: the house was emptied. Back stage Williams hurried toward Anne’s dressing-room. The door was closed and he had to knock twice before it opened. Anne’s maid stood before him, a scared look on her face. Anne was sitting in a far corner, her head resting on the palms of her hand. “Miss Travis,” Williams said in a trem- bling voice, “‘ why did you do it?” Anne slowly looked up, expecting to see him enraged, but instead found him gazing at her with reproachful eyes. ‘‘T am sorry for your sake, Mr. Wil- liams,” she said. ‘‘I was impulsive and really regret it. But if you could have seen the leer on his face as he was playing that scene; the way he seemed to gloat over my belittled part, I think you would under- stand.” Williams said nothing, but stood staring at her. ‘““T didn’t seem to realize what I was doing,” she went on, ‘ until I had snapped my fingers at him, and there was nothing left for me to do but walk off the stage.” oO comicbool< CO