"Give me joy, Lucy, I'm to have a benefit next week! Everybody else
has had one, and I've played for them all, so no one seemed to
begrudge me my turn when dear old Kent proposed it," said Christie,
coming in one night still flushed and excited with the good news.
"What shall you have?" asked Lucy, trying to look pleased, and
failing decidedly.
"'Masks and Faces.' I've always wanted to play Peg. and it has good
parts for you and Kent, and St. George I chose it for that reason,
for I shall need all the help I can get to pull me through, I dare
say."
The smile vanished entirely at this speech, and Christie was
suddenly seized with a suspicion that Lucy was not only jealous of
her as an actress, but as a woman. St. George was a comely young
actor who usually played lovers' parts with Christie, and played
them very well, too, being possessed of much talent, and a
gentleman. They had never thought of falling in love with each
other, though St. George wooed and won Christie night after night in
vaudeville and farce. But it was very easy to imagine that so much
mock passion had a basis of truth, and Lucy evidently tormented
herself with this belief.
"Why didn't you choose Juliet: St.
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