The Branding Iron - Page 96/142

"Ye-es," drawled Betty, and looked at him through narrowed lids, and

she sat with this look on her face and with her fingers locked, when

Prosper, not giving her further notice, followed Morena out.

"Jasper,"--Prosper held his friend back in the middle of a passage

that led to the dressing-rooms,--"I want very particularly to see Miss

West alone. I am very much moved by her performance and I want to tell

her so. Also, I want her to express herself naturally with no idea of

my being the author of the play and without the presence of her

manager. Will you just ask if she will see a friend of yours--alone?"

Jasper smiled his subtle smile. "Of course, Prosper. It's all as clear

as daylight."

Prosper did not notice the Jew's intelligent expression. He was too

much absorbed in his own excitement. In a moment he would be with

Joan--Joan, his love of winter nights!

Morena tapped upon a door. A maid half-opened it.

"Ask Miss West, please, if she will see a friend of Mr. Morena's. Tell

her I particularly wish her to give him a private interview." He

scribbled a line on a card and the maid took it in.

In five minutes, during which the two men waited silently, she came

back.

"Miss West will see your friend, sir."

"Ah! Then I'll take myself off. Prosper, will you join Betty and me at

supper?"

"No, thanks. I'll have my brief interview with Miss West and then go

home, if you'll forgive me. I'm about all in. New York's too much for

a man just home from the front."

Jasper laid his hand for a moment on Prosper's shoulder, smiled,

shrugged, and turned away. Prosper waited till his friend was out of

sight and hearing, then knocked and was admitted to the dressing-room

of Miss Jane West.

She had not changed from the evening dress she had worn in the last

scene nor had she yet got rid of her make-up. She was sitting in a

narrow-backed chair that had been turned away from the dressing-table.

The maid was putting away some costumes.

Prosper walked half across the room and stopped.

"Miss West," he said quietly.

She stood up. The natural color left her face ghastly with patches of

paint and daubs of black. She threw back her head and said, "Prosper!"

just above her breath.

"Go out, Henrietta." This was spoken to the maid in the voice of Jane

the virago and Henrietta fled.