Henderson Daily Dispatch

CONSUELO basked in the warmth of homage that fell upon her.
She accepted jewelry and presents and for payment laughed and went her merry way and no man touched her lips. If she had been confident before, she was cocksure now. And this new assurance of power carried out into the audience, and if they had applauded before, now they applauded more and sometimes the show was stopped for five minutes while they recalled her.
Goldberg fretted and chafed that he could not put her on as headliner in the show. The kid was a sensation, no doubt of that. The papers, too, began to sense that something should be done about it. They wanted to know why the gypsy was given only one act, and there were remarks printed about L'Ville that did not forebode well for the star of the show. Other producers came to see if they could get the gypsy and even if she could have gone to them she would not.
Goldberg raised her salary and had another act written for her and pushed rehearsals. He made a place for her in the finale and she stayed with the curtains. Again Louise fought with Goldberg and gained no ground. Goldberg begged Stewart to buy Louise off and put Consuelo on, but Stewart would not. After all, why should he do anything more for the gypsy when she was too busy to see him?
His gifts stopped. He was hurt and angry with her. He liked to think that it was the success that had gone to her head, but deep within him he knew that it was not so.
He heard about her from this one and that, and saw the new jewelry she wore, and he told himself that she was nothing but a common gypsy. Nevertheless he was piqued that she should wear other gifts than his and treat him so indifferently.
Consuelo worked harder than ever with Renaldo. Louise's dancing partners came down and practiced long hours with her. The little understudy was given a place in the pony line-up and the gypsy became the chief understudy. Costumes were duplicated and all was in readiness for the time when Louise might not show up, either from accident, illness or for any other reason.
The gypsy waited. The wait grew tiresome, for no strong-willed gypsy is used to waiting, but still she held her peace and did not act—not yet.
She had not seen Stewart for a week when he appeared at her dressing room door.
"Ah, my friend, I am glad to see you again."
He came into the room and looked at the girl. Then he laid down his cane and hat.
"I wonder."
"Now what is it you wonder about?"
"Oh, nothing. Waiting for the finale?"
"Yes. Mr. Goldie has been so good to me.
You have seen my new act?
You have seen me in the finale?
Yes? I am pretty fine, eh?" She put back her head and laughed her throaty laugh. "At the train so long long ago you said I couldn't dance good enough, do you remember, white man? It is different now."
"Yes, of course. Different in many ways. Are you having a good time?"
His voice was quite impersonal, but his eyes were upon her as they had been that first time they met.
"Yes.
The men in New York are
"Are you having a good time?"
generous. I have found that gold is less than clear water. A man gave my father three horses and an unborn colt and a purse of gold and a watch and the gypsies said it was a good price in America for a woman, but I have been offered a thousand times that."
"To marry you?" Cynical question.
She held up her pretty fingers.
"There have been five who have said, gypsy girl, I will give you anything in the world if you will marry me—" Her eyes darkened. Her red lips pouted. "I have said no to all of their offers, but I find that it might be easy to say yes."
She paused.
"You see, there is not one of them who can give me what I want."
The coquetry was stripped from her. "All of my life I have had one dream and it has swept everything else aside. I have seen a marble palace on top of a high hill and I was dancing there.
I left the gypsy camp and my own people and the sound of Romany and the tang of sweet night air and the music of gypsy laughter to come to New York because I thought that here I would find the end of my dream. But it is not true and I am unhappy. I am standing within reach of this thing I want and it eludes me!"
She bent her head in her hands.
She was trembling. "To the person who will give me my dream I will pay any price!" The words were wrung from the very depths of her heart.
There was silence between them.
"What a queer little minx you are. Here I thought you were only concerned with the good time you were having. Is your dream then still so strong?"
"More than life itself!"
"Can't you be satisfied with going slowly?
There is next year, you know.
You are building your foundations now."
"You do not know that for a thousand years I have been making myself ready for now. Next year, next year! No! Now is the time! Now, white man, now! I am ready. I am a race horse straining at the post.
New York has accepted me. They go mad when I am on the stage.
They are holding up the marble palace and begging me to enter and I stand outside starving. I could step into her place tomorrow.
Ah, my darling, help me!" Her plea was an impassioned one.
"And you think this is fair to Louise?"
"Fair?
Fair?
How can I care whether it is or not? I am me—just me—more than me perhaps, but of the more I do not know. I am burning up with my desire. I am consumed by a white flame. I am a prisoner. I stand down in the wings and I see this woman dancing and singing and she is like a hundred devils to me. I hold back my feet that I do not run out on the stage in front of her and cry aloud, this is my place! And I hold back my hands that I do not tear her hair from her head!"
The lights flickered, recalling her.
She turned to the dressing table and mechanically took up her rouge.
"I have been talking like a mad woman."
Her voice was heavy. "I have been looking into the impossible and I am tired of it."
The lights flickered again.
"The end of the show for tonight. Finale. I go down and for a moment drink from a cool fountain and carry with me the sound of their applause.
We will both be on the stage, this light-haired woman and I, but I shall know that the applause is for me and she will know it too."
She got to her feet and went to him.
She put her hands on his face and looked down at him. "You will be here when I come back?"
"Yes.
(TO BE CONTINUED)