Saturday night he went to the theatre for which he had purchased tickets.And he went alone, for the place that Sister Anne was to have occupied could not be filled by any other person.It would have been sacrilege.At least, so it pleased him to pretend.And all through dinner, which he ate alone at the same restaurant to which he had intended taking her, he continued, to pretend she was with him.And at the theatre, where there was going forward the most popular of all musical comedies, the seat next to him, which to the audience, appeared wastefully empty, was to him filled with her gracious presence.That Sister Anne was not there--that the pretty romance he had woven about her had ended in disaster--filled, him with real regret.He was glad he was,, leaving New York.He was glad he was going, where nothing would remind him of her.And then he glanced up--and looked straight into her eyes!
He was seated in the front row, directly on the aisle.The seat Sister Anne was supposed to be occupying was on his right, and a few seats farther to his right rose the stage box and in the stage box, and in the stage box, almost upon the stage, and with the glow of the foot-lights full in her face, was Anita Flagg, smiling delightedly down on him.There were others with her.He had a confused impression of bulging shirt-fronts, and shining silks, and diamonds, and drooping plumes upon enormous hats.He thought he recognized Lord Deptford and Holworthy; but the only person he distinguished clearly was Anita Flagg.The girl was all in black velvet, which was drawn to her figure like a wet bathing suit; round her throat was a single string of pearls, and on her hair of golden-rod was a great hat of black velvet, shaped like a bell, with the curving lips of a lily.And from beneath its brim Anita Flagg, sitting rigidly erect with her white-gloved hands resting lightly on her knee, was gazing down at him, smiling with pleasure, with surprise, with excitement.
When she saw that, in spite of her altered appearance, he recognized her, she bowed so violently and bent her head so eagerly that above her the ostrich plumes dipped and courtesied like wheat in a storm.But Sam neither bowed nor courtesied.Instead, he turned his head slowly over his left shoulder, as though he thought she was speaking not to him but some one beyond him, across the aisle.And then his eyes returned to the stage and did not again look toward her.It was not the cut direct, but it was a cut that hurt; and in their turn the eyes of Miss Flagg quickly sought the stage.
At the moment, the people in the audience happened to be laughing; and she forced a smile and then laughed with them.
Out of the corner of his eye Sam could not help seeing her profile exposed pitilessly in the glow of the foot-lights;saw her lips tremble like those of a child about to cry; and then saw the forced, hard smile--and heard her laugh lightly and mechanically.
"That's all she cares." he told himself.
It seemed to him that in all he heard of her, in everything she did, she kept robbing him still further of all that was dear to him in Sister Anne.
For five minutes, conscious of the foot-lights, Miss Flagg maintained upon her lovely face a fixed and intent expression, and then slowly and unobtrusively drew back to a seat in the rear of the box.In the' darkest recesses she found Holworthy, shut off from a view of the stage by a barrier of women's hats.
"Your friend Mr.Ward," she began abruptly, in a whisper, "is the rudest, most ill-bred person I ever met.When I talked to him the" other day I thought he was nice.He was nice, But he has behaved abominably--like a boor--like a sulky child.Has he no sense of humor? Because I played a joke on him, is that any reason why he should hurt me?""Hurt you?" exclaimed little Holworthy in amazement."Don't be ridiculous! How could he hurt you? Why should you care how rude he is? Ward's a clever fellow, but he fancies himself.
He's conceited.He's too good-looking; and a lot of silly women have made such a fuss over him.So when one of them laughs at him he can't understand it.That's the trouble.Icould see that when I was telling him."
"Telling him!" repeated Miss Flagg--"Telling him what?""About what a funny story you made of it," explained Holworthy."About his having the nerve to ask you to feed the monkeys and to lunch with him."Miss Flagg interrupted with a gasping intake of her breath.
"Oh!" she said softly."So-so you told him that, did you?
And--what else did you tell him?" , "Only what you told us--that he said 'the day could not begin too soon'; that he said he wouldn't let you be a manicure and wash the hands of men who weren't fit to wash the streets you walked on."There was a pause.
"Did I tell you he said that?" breathed Anita Flagg.
"You know you did," said Holworthy.
There was another pause.
"I must have been mad!" said the girl.
There was a longer pause and Holworthy shifted uneasily.
"I'm afraid you are angry," he ventured.