Equal to the Emergency.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 86

Equal to the Emergency.

It was the third act. The s'tuation was a particularly strong; one. and reached its climax when Maurice rushed vpon the stage from an upper entrance and was shot from an ambush. A.t. the x-ehearsals Laura had flown inupon the scene at the report of the revolver, and, bending over the prcstrate form of her lover, ha 1 cried : "My—darling—they—have—killed—you. It —shall—be—my—task—tc—avenge—you." Mauncr had reached a degree of dramatic perfection in his great fall which was at oiioe the envy and the admiration of tho other members of the cast. He had /educed the whole thing to '* system. One: Rush from upper entrance to exact spot on stage. Two: Suddenly grasp region of the heart, anticipating sUghtly the report of the revolver. Three: Lift body upon toes of left foot. Four: Throw right hand into the air. Five: Turn on toes. Six: Fall on face. It was the third act. Maurice made his usual rush from tna uppei entrance, and hi 6 usual frantic grasp at the heart region There was a faint "click from the ambush in the upper entrance on the other side, bu.- no report of an exploded cartridge. Perspiration started out on Maurice's forehead. ' "Click! click!" Ah! The hammer was being lifted. He would be shot after all. "Click !" Fiends and furies! Again the revolver wouldn't go off. „ . He had parsed "One" and "Two long, lonsr ago. "Three" and "Four had followeJ. X6thing left but to follow them- up with 'Tnc" and "Six" and wait development*. . -r, . The situation was embarrassing. But Laura wa'. a woman for emergencies. »ne flew to her lover's side. A look of horror passed over her inobilj .'eaturps. Then, lifting her soulful eyes to the blue mushn. hervf.ns. sh« excWimed: "Mv- -darling—thky—have — killed — you. Another— victim — of — those — vile — air — gAni the excited audience, wildly aoplam!inp, never knew that the revolver had E.tru<>k work.