for the role of Lydia Languish.
The old stage-manager looked unhappy. “No. He wasn’t in his room nor at the hotel.”
“Did they have any idea where he might be?”
Leroy Barnes looked down at his shoes. “They claimed it was not unusual for him to be away somewhere all night. Said he was always coming and going at odd times. And they suggested I try some of the saloons and bawd houses along the waterfront.”
She felt sick with disappointment. “That means he’s probably hidden away somewhere drunk.”
“I have my man making the rounds of the best known places at this very minute,” the stage manager advised her. “If he’s to be found we’ll find him!”
All the company, including herself, were tense as the curtain rose on the matinee performance of The Rivals . Happily the audience was not large and with one minor lapse they did get through with the play. But the more important evening show loomed ahead.
Nancy came to her after the curtain fell to ask, “Any word yet?”
“Not that I know of,” she said. “The stage manager will know.”
Leroy Barnes shook his head. “No word back from my man. He’s still looking.”
She went up to her dressing room and Gloria helped her remove her costume and then she sat and took off her make-up. She was dressed for the street and ready to leave when Leroy Barnes came to see her.
He held a telegram. “Came for you from New York. The hotel sent it here.”
“I’ve been expecting it,” she said, tearing the envelope open quickly. “It’s from Mr. Barnum, He says: “Regret problem. Trying to find available name actor. Difficult because of war. Improvise as best you can until you hear from me.”
Leroy Barnes looked grim. “We can improvise but it won’t be good. Mr. Barnum has never seen the understudy in Richelieu or he’d be more worried.”
“Where is the understudy?”
“Holed up in an empty dressing room trying to learn more of the Cardinal’s part,” Leroy Barnes said. “I can tell you I’ll be busy in the prompt corner tonight.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what is best to do!”
At that moment there were the sounds of male voices in argument from outside. And she felt a surge of excitement as she recognized one of the voices as that of John Wilkes Booth. He was complaining loudly in sonorous tone.
Then in the doorway of the dressing room there appeared a haggard Booth supported by the man who had been sent in search of him. Fanny saw the pale and bedraggled John Wilkes Booth clutching the other man for support and her hopes dropped at once.
On seeing her Booth made a conspicuous attempt to pull himself together. He let go of the other man and supported himself by placing a hand on the door frame. With his other hand he pushed back his unruly, black, curly hair and tried to adjust his tie. Then he came forward to her unsteadily.
“What is this all about?” he wanted to know. She stared at him in despair. “We have a crisis here. I hoped you might save us. But I see I was wrong!”
Chapter 5
John Wilkes Booth stood there unsteadily and looking baffled. He turned to the old stage manager and demanded, “What is she talking about?”
Leroy Barnes spread his hands in a gesture of despair. “Peter Cortez left us this morning without notice. We had to use the understudy this afternoon but he’s not up the role tonight.”
Booth groaned and rubbed a hand across his forehead. His handsome face showed that he realized the situation as he asked her, “Was this the result of our meeting last night?”
“I’m afraid so,” she said quietly.
“Damn the man for a fool and a weakling!” Booth said with disgust. “He has taken his spleen out on all the company! He is below contempt!”
Leroy Barnes said, “We are doing Richelieu tonight and Mrs. Cornish recalled that you have often played the part. That was
The old stage-manager looked unhappy. “No. He wasn’t in his room nor at the hotel.”
“Did they have any idea where he might be?”
Leroy Barnes looked down at his shoes. “They claimed it was not unusual for him to be away somewhere all night. Said he was always coming and going at odd times. And they suggested I try some of the saloons and bawd houses along the waterfront.”
She felt sick with disappointment. “That means he’s probably hidden away somewhere drunk.”
“I have my man making the rounds of the best known places at this very minute,” the stage manager advised her. “If he’s to be found we’ll find him!”
All the company, including herself, were tense as the curtain rose on the matinee performance of The Rivals . Happily the audience was not large and with one minor lapse they did get through with the play. But the more important evening show loomed ahead.
Nancy came to her after the curtain fell to ask, “Any word yet?”
“Not that I know of,” she said. “The stage manager will know.”
Leroy Barnes shook his head. “No word back from my man. He’s still looking.”
She went up to her dressing room and Gloria helped her remove her costume and then she sat and took off her make-up. She was dressed for the street and ready to leave when Leroy Barnes came to see her.
He held a telegram. “Came for you from New York. The hotel sent it here.”
“I’ve been expecting it,” she said, tearing the envelope open quickly. “It’s from Mr. Barnum, He says: “Regret problem. Trying to find available name actor. Difficult because of war. Improvise as best you can until you hear from me.”
Leroy Barnes looked grim. “We can improvise but it won’t be good. Mr. Barnum has never seen the understudy in Richelieu or he’d be more worried.”
“Where is the understudy?”
“Holed up in an empty dressing room trying to learn more of the Cardinal’s part,” Leroy Barnes said. “I can tell you I’ll be busy in the prompt corner tonight.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what is best to do!”
At that moment there were the sounds of male voices in argument from outside. And she felt a surge of excitement as she recognized one of the voices as that of John Wilkes Booth. He was complaining loudly in sonorous tone.
Then in the doorway of the dressing room there appeared a haggard Booth supported by the man who had been sent in search of him. Fanny saw the pale and bedraggled John Wilkes Booth clutching the other man for support and her hopes dropped at once.
On seeing her Booth made a conspicuous attempt to pull himself together. He let go of the other man and supported himself by placing a hand on the door frame. With his other hand he pushed back his unruly, black, curly hair and tried to adjust his tie. Then he came forward to her unsteadily.
“What is this all about?” he wanted to know. She stared at him in despair. “We have a crisis here. I hoped you might save us. But I see I was wrong!”
Chapter 5
John Wilkes Booth stood there unsteadily and looking baffled. He turned to the old stage manager and demanded, “What is she talking about?”
Leroy Barnes spread his hands in a gesture of despair. “Peter Cortez left us this morning without notice. We had to use the understudy this afternoon but he’s not up the role tonight.”
Booth groaned and rubbed a hand across his forehead. His handsome face showed that he realized the situation as he asked her, “Was this the result of our meeting last night?”
“I’m afraid so,” she said quietly.
“Damn the man for a fool and a weakling!” Booth said with disgust. “He has taken his spleen out on all the company! He is below contempt!”
Leroy Barnes said, “We are doing Richelieu tonight and Mrs. Cornish recalled that you have often played the part. That was
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