Part 3 (1/2)
”How, e of a towel
”Just as I was about to enter to tackle the old hts went out I ju 'em (almost in a confidential whisper, there were so darned few of 'e to be alarht on Then Amy and dick caot wise to the gahts went up, there was A each other in plain view, the old folks nowhere in sight General Parsons had dragged the old lady into the next roo all four parts at the same time”
”Pretty clever,” said Barnes
”My idea,” announced Mr Dillingford calmly
”What has become of the rest of the company?”
”Well, as I said before, two of 'em escaped before the smash The low comedian and character old woman Joe Beckley and his wife That left the old man,--I mean Mr Rushcroft, the star--Lyndon Rushcroft, you know,--hes and a wohes happened to know a chap as travelling around the country for his health, alwaysup with us,--accidentally, of course,--and he staked her to a ticket to New York The wo in Buffalo, so the rest of us scraped together all the ht thing by her Actors are always doing darn-fool things like that, Mr Barnes And what do you suppose she did? She took that ht two tickets to Albany, one for herself and another for the er of the company,--the lowest,the old ht to hear what HE has to say about Mr Manager He can use words I never even heard of before So, that leaves just the four of us here, working off the two days' board bill of Bradley and the er, Rushcroft's unGodly spree, and at the sa our own slate clean Miss Thackeray will no doubtShe is teirl, too, if I do say--”
”Miss Thackeray? I don't recall your ramme, but in real life, as they say, Ehter”
”Somewhat involved, isn't it?”
”Not in the least Rushcroft's real na from some place in Indiana, where the authors coe for that sort of thing, perhaps, but--very sprightly, just the sarowth upwards, but not outwards To a taxi in Hornville He used to own his own car in Springfield, Mass, by the way Coood family At least, so he says Are you all ready? I'll lead you to the dining-room Or would you prefer a little appetiser beforehand? The tap-rooht on the way You raveyard down the road would turn over completely if you did Hallowed tradition, you know”
”I don'ta cocktail Will you join me?”
”As a ford
”We've been drawing quite a bit of custom to the tap-room The rubes like to sit around and listen to conversation about Broadway and Bunker Hill and Old Point Cohbours that they know quite a nuuess I used to think that if I could everin the world Well, I've met a lot of 'em, and God knows I'm not as happy as I hen I was WIshi+NG I couldGunga Din You can't hear the thunder for the noise he's ”
They descended the stairs and entered the tap-room, where a dozen s in front of the at the top table,--that is to say, the one farthest re the attention of every creature in the rooure of Lyndon Rushcroft He was reciting, in a sonorous voice and with tre poeiven a score of times at The Players in New York, and knew it by heart He was therefore able to catch Mr
Rushcroft in the very reprehensible act of taking liberties with the designs of the author The ”star,” after a sharp and rather startled look at the newcomer, deliberately ”cut” four stanzas and rushed so a treic expression fro Mr Dillingford, his hand extended
”My dear fellow,” he exclaily, ”how are you?” Cordiality boomed in his voice ”I heard you had arrived Welcoue Bacon, in passing a few minutes before, had leaned over and whispered behind his hand:
”Fellow upstairs from New York, Mr Rushcroft,--fellow named Barnes
Quite a swell, believe me”
It was a well-placed tip, for Mr Rushcroft had been telling the natives for days that he knew everybody worth knowing in New York
Barnes was momentarily taken aback Then he rose to the spirit of the occasion
”hello, Rushcroft,” he greeted, as if ood 'Pondate palm in the middle of an endless desert How are you?”
They shook hands warford slapped the newcomer on the shoulder, affectionately, familiarly, and shouted:
”Who would have dreaood old Barnesy up here? By Jove, it's marvellous!”
”Friends, countrymen,” boomed Mr Rushcroft, ”this is Mr Barnes of New York Not the man the book ritten about, but one of the best fellows God ever put into this little world of ours I do not recall your naentlemen, or I would introduce each of you separately and divisibly And when did you leave New York, o,” replied Barnes ”I have been walking for the past teeks”
Mr Rushcroft's expression changed His face fell
”Walking?” he repeated, a trifle stiffly Was the fellow a tramp? Was he in no better condition of life than hiainst whoe was slyly but indubitably directed? If so, as to be gained by claio slow He drew hiht ”Well, well! Really?” he said