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“THRAPPY DAYS "eo
And such was the degenerate character
of the lesser rascal, that he really envied
Carton his ability to plot and plan with
devilish cunning.
Of course, Dan Kellard experienced no
compunctions of conscience.
What he meant to do—the black and
treachery of the deed to which
ad incited him, did not impress
-his base and hardened nature in the least.
Carefully he closed the door of the prop-
erty-room, .
Then he selected a showy, pearl-handled
and silver-mounted pistol from among the
collection of similar weapons in the basket
alluded to,
“Old Props said the pearl-handled gun
was intended for Carton,” he muttered.
Then while he listened and seemed in-
tent to catch the faintest sound which
might serve to warn him of the approach
of any one, he quickly loaded the pistol.
Just as he finished doing this he heard
footsteps.
Instantly he knew that someone was
coming.
Dropping the foaded pistol among the
other weapons in the basket, he opened the
‘oor,
Old Props, the property man, was at the
foot of the stairs that Jed up to_the stage,
“Gimme the guns, Dan, and I'll take
‘em up while you git the red fire in the
pans ready fer the windup of the act,”
said the property man, who had been
called Old Props by everyone about the
theater for so long a time, that no one
seemed to remember that he had any other
name,
“All right. Here you are,” responded
Dan Kellard, cheerily, and he handed the
basket containing the weapons to the
property man,
The latter disappeared up the stairs with
the basket at once, .
“Good! The plant is fixed!” said Kel-
lard to himself. ~
_* I'm mighty glad Old Props intends to
ive out the guns to the actors himself,
Te’ll be sure to put the pearl-handled one
in Carton’s hand, for he told me Carton
was particular about having that one, and
then the boy actor is as good as done for.
‘The pearl-handled pistol is a sure-fire one.
It won't fail in Carton’s hands, and the
newspapers ull have another accidental
tragedy of the stage to publish.”
‘The rascal whose flinty heart seemed
insensible to any emotion of pity for
e@ poune life which was threatened,
had closed the door of the
yhen he muttered the
cording to a habit he had of talking to
himself when alone, he calmly ‘proceeded
about the duties which Old Props had di-
rected him to perform,
Meantime, the action of the important
third act of the drama was proceeding on
the stage,
Everything worked smoothly, and at
last the great mob scene came. *
The actors and the supers who made up
the stage mob were grouped precisely as
we have already stated the business of
the drama required.
There, at the portals of the great factory
stood Ralph Carton and a few men who
were supposed in the play, to be his faith-
ful employees,
Before them was the mob eagerly clam-
oring for admission that they might seize
and drag forth the hunted, but innocent
man whom they meant to make the object
of a cruel and mistaken vengeance,
fhe mob shouted and threatened.
s and weapons of various kinds
were flourished,
And the leader of the mob ordered Carton
and his mento stand aside and let them
enter, or suffer dire consequences,
The thrilling scene had reached a climax
of excitement, and Carton, with the pearl
handled pistol in nis hand, was ordering
the mob back, threatening to shoot the
first one who came astep nearer, when
Horace made his entrance and dashed be-
tween the howling mob and the men before
the factory doors, .
“Wold! Hold, I.say——” he began, ut-
tering the first words of his speech in
thrilling tones, when, a: :
came onaline with his breast, a female
tigure sprang from behind the man next in
Carton’s rear and struck up the villain‘s
hand just as he pressed the trigger.
To the entire astonishment and conster-
e,
orace was saved, but he knew that he
had a close eall—that Carton meant to kill
him, and that he owed his preservation
to the timely interposition of the woman
who struck up the pistol of his foe.
That woman had disappeared among the
men in Carton’s rear as suddenly as she
had come,
But rapid as were her movements the
boy actor saw that she was the actress
who impersonated the character of Mother
Mandra, and we knew that, because of the
diamond ring she wore, he was now con-
vinced that she was really Nell Penton—
otherwise the veiled lady,
Carton was simply thunderstruck, .
He stood like a man turned to stone. Ie
had wheeled as his hand was struck up.
But he was pot quick enough to see his
female nemesis,
Horace did not lose his presence of
mind, but went on with his speech asif
the incident of the discharge of the pistol
was a part of the play. .
Carton managed to go on with his part,
and as the other actors did not falter,
though they were alarmed and astonished
by the incident, the act was soon brought
to a successful close, and it was evident
the audience remained in blissful ignor-
ance of the fact that they had been the
witnesses of what was meant to be a trag-
gs soon as the curtain fell Carton was
loud in his protestations against the care-
Tessness of the property man, whose blun-
der in loading the pistol he denounced asa
piece of criminal negligence which should
be severely punished,
So well did Carton act the part of inno-
cence and indignation that the poor prop-
erty man was frightened half to death,
and though he declared he did not load
the pistol, he was soundly berated by
everybody.
Horace wanted to denounce Carton with-
out further delay and have him placed un-
der arrest.
He was only able to restrain himself
from so doing by reflecting ‘that the last
act of the play could not be produced with-
out Carton.
as nothing could induce him to ruin
the success of the drama, he did not pro-
ceed against Carton then, But he consoled
himself for this temporary forbearance by
thinking that the punishment of hisenemy
was only deferred fora brief interval,
During the interval between acts third
and fourth—the latter being the last act—
Horace sought for the woman who had
saved his life during the mob scene,
ile found her in the dressing-room which
had been assigned to the actress who was
engaged by the management to personate
“Mother Mandra,” .
The woman who saw fit to surround her-
self with mystery and work in secret
against the dangerous enemy of the boy
actor, was alone,
She closed and
Horace had entere
“JT know you have come to thank me,
and I can understand how grateful you are,
so spare me all words on that head, I'm
glad I had the chance to baffle Carton.
The fact is, l overheard him plotting with
Dan Kellard to have the pistol which he
used in act third loaded, This knowledge
was enough forme, The result youknow,
I made Carton’s shot go astray,”
“*You area wonderful woman. I won-
der how you managed to get Mrs. Dudley,
the actress who was engaged for Mother
Mandra, to let you take her part, And I
know you. must really bé a professional
actress—a first class one, too, for
layed the part of Mother Mandra muc’
better than Mrs, Dudley could have done,”
said Elorace.
“You flatter me. But you are quite
right. [ama professional actress, and on
the English stage I have won a reputation.
Your friend, Tony Tripton, has seen me act
in London, I think, but no matter. Now
He must be arrested at the
close of the last act, I'll accuse him of in-
tending tokill you. Ha! ba! The woman
whom he cruelly deserted will help to
make his just punishment certain.”
“Yes, yes, Carton shall not leave the
theater to-night a freeman. The bouse
policeman shall arrest him, Tony and I
ave already decided on that,” answered
the lad, in positive tones,
Heand the lady might have conversed
further then but the sound of the stage
bell warned them that they must be read
for the last act directly. So Horace hastily
left the presence of his mysterious friend,
fastened the door when
CHAPTER XXI.
CARTON’S FLIGHT—A VAIN QUEST FOR THE
BOY ACTOR'S FOE,
THE final act of the successful melo-
drama, was rather shorter than those
which had preceded it, and at length the
the delighted audience began to pass out
of the popular play-house, in which they
had been so well entertained throughout
the entire performance,
But for the time, Lforace thought not of
the triumphant success which he had
made in his important part.
On the contrary, his mind was occupied
with the determination which he had
formed to promptly cause the arrest of his
desperate enemy,
Carton was on the stage with Iorace
and most of the other actors, when the cur-
tain descended for the last time,
Scarcely had the drop shut out the view
of the audience, when Horace and Tony
'Tripton rushed off the stage, .
policeman, who was on duty behind the
scenes, to arrest Carton, :
A few moments previously they had seen
the house officer standing in the wings,
‘There they sought him hastily. __
But much to their surprise and disgust
they failed to find him in the wings.
“Tony, do you watch the stage door
and stop Carton if he tries to go out,” said
Horace, .
Then he ran down to the green-room,
asking everyone he met for the officer, .
The call boy stood at the foot of the flight
leading to the green-room,
As florace reached him, and saw that
the policeman whom he sought was not in
sight, heasked: ~
“* Have you seen Officer Warren ?”
‘Yes; he went toward the stage door
just now.”
So answered the call boy.
Horace dashed by the lad, and ran along
the passage that led to the stage door,
Reaching that portal, he saw no one but
the man who was always on guard at that
rivate door, which was used only by the
actors and stage hands,
“Smith, have you seen Policeman War-
ren?” asked the youth, breathlessly,
“Yes, e went out this way a moment
since, . Kellard was with him,‘ and the
said something about going across the al-
ley to Scheiders’ foradrink. °
So he rejoined the stage door keeper,
Horace waited to hear no more,
Passing out into the alley he hastened
across it, and arrived at the door of the
They meant to at once prompt the
little beer saloon kept by a German named
Scheiders,
As he was about to enter, the swing-
door opened, and out came Warren, the
theater policeman, . .
He looked a bit sheepish as he observed
Horace, : 3
But the latter said: i
“Tt's all right. I only want you to
come behind the scenes and arrest’ Ralph
Carton whom I accuse of plotting to kill
me.. Where is Kellard? I want you to ar-
rest him on the same charge |” :
“Kellard is gone. He left the saloon a
few moments since, But I don’t under-
stand! You are making aserious charge,”
said the policeman,
“Kellard has fled! He feared arrest.
But we'll nab Carton !”
Followed by the officer the lad rushed
across the alley again. -
They entered the theater and sought for
Ralph Carton,
ut they soon learned that he, too, had
escaped, for he was not to be found behind
the scenes, and the stage door keeper de-
clared the English actor had not gone out
that way.
“The villain must have escaped by the
front!” exclaimed Tony. “‘ He must have
gone out by the door leading to one of the
private boxes, from which he could go
direct to the front entrance,” he added. -
“That's it! We did not have that route
guarded,” said Horace, regretfully.
en, as he reflected that it was barely
possible that Carton had gone to his hotel
—at least for a transient stay—the lad, ac-
companied by Tony Tripton and Warren,
the Policeman, hastily repaired to Carton’s
notel,
There. again disappointment awaited
em.
s
S
And they learned that Carton had paid
his bill and removed his baggage the pre:
ceding da
Je
-The hotel people could not give any in-
formation as to where Carton's baggage
had been taken, so it seemed to Horace
that the guilty man had made good his
escapes
When he left the hotel in company with
the old actor and the policeman, Iorace
took occasion to explain fully to the latter
how Carton had plotted to Kill him.
The officer was interested, and his sym-
pathies were all on Ilorace’s side, of
ourse,
“T'll take it upon m
Carton yet, and if he
low I promise you I'll
officer assured Horas
With this the lad
nm
self to try to locate
oes not lay might:
nab him yet,’ the
ce,
was forced to be con-
tent.
He knew that Bronson Lewis was to give
a supper to the representatives of the press
that night, and that he would find \
ger Rachvack at the
was aware was to be give
So leaving Tripton
Soon after they -had visited the actor's
hotel in his company, Horace went to see
the theatrical manager,
e found him wi vis’
pests at ie cate th Bronson Lewis’
waiter delivered a message to Rach-
back for Horace, and
Joined Phe boy actor, the manager soon
orace quickly explained all that he
deemed it necessar: tha S
manager about Carton he should tell the
‘rom all this or esta
. his we ma’ a
thing that Carton will ‘hot report at tee
theater again, Ile’]l break his engagement
for fear of arrest, and so you ha
ose ho time in engaging
actor to take his part to-morrow night,”
“Yes, Carton fs a villain, but he is a
good actor, I wish this had ‘not occurred,
ana. |
But I heard to-night that Harold Le-
moyne, the leading man, late of the .
Theater had thrown up his part in the cast ~~
of the play at that house, I'll be able to
secure him, I think. Heis noted for hav- .
ing a quick study, and I'll call a special re- *
hearsal to-morrow for his benefit, so prob-
ably he'll be able to get through with Car-
ton’s part to-morrow night,” answered
Rachback, > ¥
Then be said some scant words of ap-.-
proval regarding Horace’s acting, but he
was by no means enthusiastic, It was the
manager's policy never to let an actor in
his employ think he valued his services
1
ye *
fe was wont to say to his familiars : .
“ Actors all get the big head if they are
commended, and then you can do nothing.
with them, Keep ’em down, make ’em*_
hink you regard them as no good, or“ ©
they'll strike for more pay.”
Horace soon left the manager and has-*
tened home, “
llis motherand Ethel had arrived there | *
ing out praises,
Mrs, Brandon and Ethel were inclined to’
bestow commendations without stint. ,
Of course Horace was delighted when 4
they assured him that he had acted his
part splendidly, and that they had heard
many people in the audience say so,
The boy actor escorted Ethel home. a
And a little later he and his mother were *
alone, ue
“Now, mother dear, explain how you
came to send that note to me behind the
scenes, In it you said you fancied you
recognized Carton as an old enemy of
yours, and that you feared he meant to do
me a deadly injury,” then said the boy.
_ “I will-explain all about tuat on the
morrow, Horace. Butas the explanation
will require some time and it is now late,
and you look quite worn out, I will defer
the story until the morrow,” answered the
‘ond mother.
“IT suppose fou know what is best,
mother dear, and so I'll try to curb my im-
atienceand restrain my curiosity,” replied
Torace.
Soon after that the lad retired for the
night, . ae
But the exciting events of the night
made him wakeful, and though he was
weary in body his mind was active.
or a long time he could not go to sleep,
and when at last his eyes closed in slumber
his dreams were troubled, and he seemed
to live over again the scenes of his last
waking hours, .
The following morning Horace again.
asked his mother for the explanation -,
which she had promised, a
Then she said: é
“JT will tell you all that you should:
know,” - -
For a moment she was silent. - ty
But presently, when she seemed to have: , ?
mentally recalled the past, she told IIorace®-.. .. =
much that surprised and interested him,
as we shall learn from the following chap-
er, :
ak
x
[ro BE CONTINUED.)
—— bo 0 me
HAVE YOU SENT FOR SIX OF OUR
LIBRARIES FOR 25 CENTS? MAKE YOUR
OWN SELECTION. *
ree
[This story commenced in No. 202.) - .
On the Road; -
on. hia
THE SUCCESS OF A SMART
BOY SALESMAN,
— :
By CASTON CARNE, ’
Author of “Jack-of U-Trades,” “His Own:
Law “Youn atrick Henry,” “A i :
7,” “ Fighting For
0 Wah
rat 17,
Greece,” “Fighting
Gomez," ete.
CHAPTER X.
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE, +
ap his Satanic majesty appeared to |
him at that moment, Dick could not have. _
faced a more marvelous personage thar
ebastian Clark or been more surprised,
Te had been sure that the villain was on
the other side of the door, and had not the
slightest suspicion of a trap, . ae
Clark stood before bim sardonic and |
grim with a murderous light in his small,
cold, gray eyes, For half a minute neither
poke, °
en
8 ‘
Then the crook showed his teeth. oa
“Aha, my pretty bird! ‘Trying the Paul
Pry act, eh? Nipped in the bud You are
too gloriously green and fresh for that kind
of work. Who sent you here?” a
Dick drew himself up, Ie lad instantly ~
recovered his nerve,
have sworn to deliver you up to (he
A
ate