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BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Six Men Forward
Fhe Dances of To-day
By EVELYN NESBIT THAW,
One of the Greatest Mystery Stories Ever Written
occasionally was heard the monotor
nous command of an officer: "Six men
forward.” Nobody Refused to obey this
order, thought it meant death
The only innocent man among them
was struggling to control his fear. He
was trembling with terror and his fore
head was wet with cold perspiration.
He could not bear the thought of dying
the death, not of a martyr, but of a
common criminal.
His conscience difl not trouble him,
he had committed no sin, but a voice
within told him that he had acted the
part of a coward. If he had been a
worthy servant of the Lord he would
have refused to • put on the blouse or
touch the gun. w
The sound of each new volley In the
courtyard increased his anguish. How
many were there still ahead of him?
When would his turn come? How
many minutes had he left in which to
live?
It was an easy death, of course, far
better thaji to die from a long sick
ness. but he was afraid to die young
as he was.
At last he found himself in the front
rank. Another volley! Then a short
silence and the officer's deep voice:
“Six men forward.”
Brother Bernhard's pale lips moved
and he cried: "I am innocent!”
His Appeal.
His companions stared at him in sur
prise. The officer looked up.
“I am innocent,” Brother Bernhard f
repeated. “I was caught when on my ^
way with a message from the Prior of
St. Martin’s monastery and forced to
carry the gun after they had taken my
coat away and put me into a blouse.
I have not fired a single shot.”
“Have you any papers or passport?”
the officer asked.
“No, but if you will send to St. Mar
tin’s or to our other house in Rue
Traveraiere ”
“We have no time for that,” said the
officer. “Six men forward!”
Every hope was gone. Brother Bern-
hard felt that he was about to faint
and pressed his hand against his heart.
But what was that? His rosary! In
stinctively he had concealed it at his
bosom when they tore away his clothes
He pulled it out and held it up high.
The officer smiled. He felt sure that
not another man in the hall had a
similar passport.
“Step aside!” he commanded. “Six
men forward!”
At the left, in the upper picture, is shown the begin
ning of the dance, as Mrs. Thaw and Mr. Clifford dance
it. The partners face forward and are sufficiently apart
to retain the grace and individuality that each should
display.
The picture above, at the left, showing another posi
tion in the dance, Mrs. Thaw considers one of the best
defenses possible of the modern school of the art, and
she adds that there are many steps equally graceful, pret
ty and modest.
At the right Mrs. Thaw appears in a little exercise
preliminary to the dance itself, which she considers wis
dom to practice, since it makes for suppleness and grace.
< < A 1 AY the L,ord protect you
l^/l while you are away, Brother
A Bernhard, and may you soon
return safe and sound,” said the Prior
cordially to a young man in lay clothes
who stood before hfm.
That his dress was a disguise was
quite evident, for everything about the
young monk betrayed his profession.
In May, 1871, the commune held its
wild orgies in Paris. The streets were
barred by barricades and the churches
and public buildings in constant dan
ger of destruction. The Tuileries were
a smoking heap of ruins. The mob
were masters and priests and monks
were no safer than outlaws, so it was
small wonder that Brother Bernhard
was afraid, as he was about to carry
an important message to a house at
the other end of Paris.
As he was leaving the monastery the
thought struck him that his rosary
might betray him, and that it would
perhaps be better to leave it in his
cells. On second thought, however, he
kissed the rosary and put it back in
the pocket of his coat.
To avoid suspicion he sauntered along
as if in no particular hurry, but he had
a vivid realization that his acting was
very poor, and when he met a crowd
of half-intoxicated hoodlums his courage
deserted him, and he took refuge in
the nearest doorway.
It was a long while before he ven
tured out again. As he turned a cor
ner there, confronting him, was a bar
ricade. He turned quickly and was
about to run when one of the men on
the barricade signaled him to pass. He
walked past the one end of the barri
cade where a narrow opening had been
left, and suddenly found himself sur
rounded by a score of workingmen in
blouses. .
Forced to Fight.
“Vive la liberte! Vive la commune!”
they shouted, and compelled him to re
peat the cries. He begged them to let
him go, but they only laughed and
cursed.
In a few minutes they had torn his
clothes from his body and put him
into a blouse. He was given a gun
and placed in the most exposed place on,
the barricade.
All afternoon and evening he stood
there thinking only of how to get
away and trembling with fear that his
gun might go off. At midnight he re
ceived a ration of bread and brandy, but
he was not relieved as he had hoped.
Evidently the men were expecting to
be attacked by the regular troops, and
in his heart Brother Bernhard prayed
that these heroes who had Just fought
and bled for their country might be vie
torious and liberate the beautiful city
from the howling mob.
His prayer was heard. On this glo
rious day in May Paris was liberated.
The troops captured one barricade after
the other, some without meeting any
resistance, some after long and bloody
fighting. Law and order had conquered
and the reign of terror of the com
mune was over.
about it myself. They can give me no
news of him at the hospital, and the
case he spoke of has become mine; but
there is no talk anywhere of his being
in custody or even under the surveil
lance of the police. I think I will hunt
him up at his home.
“It would be kind of you,” quoth Gen
evieve.
Molesworth Again.
And thus it was that Dr. Cameron
rang Mrs Olney’s bell one morning, and,
being ushered in, asked for Dr. Moles
worth. He was told he was not well,
but saw a few patients, and perhaps
would see him; whereupon Dr. Cameron
sent in his name and waited with con
siderable curiosity for the response.
It came spectdlly, and was to the ef
fect that the doctor would-be pleased
If he would step to his ofNce. Dr. Cam
eron at once complied, and upon en
tering that bare and unattractive spot
saw first the figure of his colleague
stretched upon a long haircloth sofa, and
next that of a small and insignificant
looking man, who, with his face bent
over a cheap novel, which he held In his
hand, seemed to take up a certain
amount of space rather than add his
personality to the scene.
“I am glad,” began Dr. Molesworth,
springing to his feet as tlje door closed
behind the servant, “for un opportunity
to ask you how our patient is getting
on.”
“Well,” returned the other, “consid
ering that the nurse shakes her head
over every drop of medicine she gives
her.”
“You will have the nurse removed; the
case must not suffer from any such non
sense as that.”
Dr. Cameron nodded and looked curi
ously at his companion.
“You are ill, they say.”
A grim smile disturbed the corners
of the other’s lips for a moment
“I have a nurse, you see.”
Dr. Cameron cast a glance at the si
lent figure of the man in the corner.
“I understand,” his intelligent look
swamed to say. Then, with quiet so-
Cltude. “And how soon do you think
*n.»u will be better?”
Dr. Molesworth shook his head. “As
I have not yet made a satisfactory diag
nosis of my case, I will not venture to
prophesy."
"Do you want a prescription?”
"No.”
“Do you want anything 0 "
“Not from you.”
It was gently said. Dr Cameron
looked at the speaker with renewed in
terest.
"I was uneasy about you,” was his
earnest remark; “so was my wife. I
am glad to find you comparatively com
fortable.”
“Mrs. Cameron is very good.” Dr
Molesworth’s bow was profound, his
totta very serious.
Dr. Cameron moved toward the door
“I judge,” exclaimed the other, with
an aspect of much respect, “that the
evening which brought ine such misfor
tune brought you the happiness of your
life?”
The light in his visitor's eyes was un
mistakable
“You have said It," he assented.
Dr. Molesworth’s lips parted in a
smile that touched the other strangely.
“I congratulate you.” said he, and
softly closed the door between them.
pleasantness, however. In the first place,
Mrs. Gretorex, though delighted with
Genevieve’s impiM.v«*wi appearance, was
not altogether satisfied wdth her man
ner. Genevieve did not talk enough,
and when she did enter into the con
versation, it was upon other topics than
those chosen by the mother. Then she
did not show that Interest In domestic
affairs which the occasion seemed to re
quire. never asking once about certain
changes in servants which Mrs. Gre
torex considered of infinite importance
Nor did she show herself concerned
when the mother announced that Clara
Foote was on her way home, deprecat
ing, indeed, every allusion to this per
eon who had formerly been, and still
held the title of being, her most inti
mate friend. Mrs Gretorex, not under
etandfng this, and becoming gradually
JtTitated by an apathy so unnatural,
fflnally asked her daughter what it
meant. Whereupon Genevieve replied
with some spirit, that she had heard
something said about Clara of lat«
which had turned her completely against
her. and that she no longer regarded
her as her friend or over should again
This w r as unpleasant in the extreme,
particularly as she would not explain
herself or hear the subject argued
She and Clara were alienated and that
was enough. She was not even sure
she should accept the present that young
lady had sent her. But the climax was
reached when Mrs Gretorex in the most
natural tone in the world asked Gene
vieve to go upstairs with her to the
room she had occupied as a girl
“I want you to tell me what to do
with certain articles.” she explained.
“Everything is Just as you left it.” she
said. “I would not have anything
touched.”
A Strange Objection.
“You are very good,” replied Gene
vieve. coldly, “but you must excuse me
from going into such matters to-night .”
“But ” began the mother
“I am too tired and l don't feel like
It Pome other day. when I have not
Just come from a long railway Jour
ney "
The result of this was that she asked
her husband the first thing in the
morning if their own home could not be
got ready for them that day. and upon
his deciding that it could at least be
made habitable, she announced it as her
Intention to remove immediately. And
she did so, carrying out her determina
tion not ungraciously but firmly, ac
ceptlng inconveniences and parrying ob
jections. till Dr. Cameron felt very much
flattered a« her evident preference for
his sole and undivided society. And so
It was that Genevieve Cameron the
wife cut the strings that bound her to
Genevieve Gretorex the girl.
Advice
A schoolmaster in the country de
livered an address to the scholars,
of which the following passage is an
example:
“You boys ought to be kind to your
little sisters. I once knew a bad boy
who struck his little sister a blow
over the eye. Although she didn’t
fade and die in the early summertime,
when the June roses were blooming,
with the sweet words of forgiveness
on her pallid lips, she rose and hit
him over the head with a rolling-pin,
so that he couldn’t go to school for
more than a month, on account of
not being able to put his hat on.”
In the great hall in the Conciergerie a
few hundred men from the barricades
were huddled together. They were not
to be taken before a court-martial, as
the fact that they had been captured
arms in hand was sufficient death war
rant.
Among these men was Brother Bern-
hard. The soldiers for whose victory
he had prayed were now to be his ex
ecutioners.
No Time.
Everything had hapened so quickly
that he had had no time to throw away
the hated gun and flee from the bar
racks back to his beloved monastery,
wh^re the brethren were anxiously
awaiting his return.
The men were glum and silent and
flDarlboroupiH!!
ATLANTIC CITY, N. J.
Trivialities.
D \. CAMERON met his wife at a
restaurant that afternoon and
they went home together. He
had told her of his interview with Moles
worth and she had utterea a polite word
or two of thunks, but her interest was
evidently less than In the morning and
he did not strive to Increase it. Her
gayety was too agreeable for him to mar
it. He basked in her smiles and lent
himself unreservedly to the pleasure of
the moment. At the door of their own
house they looked at each other and
smiled.
“It is pleasant to get home." he cried.
“It is heaven.’’ she faintly murmured.
The house was not large, hut it was
exquisitely furnished As they entered,
an atmosphere of ease and luxury en
veloped them, making it hard for them
to part at the foot of the stairs
A gentleman called that very even
ing, I think, and affixed to hts name on
the card were the words, “pressing
business.”
They both saw him, be having sent
for both, and after a word or two oi
introduction, he told his errand in this
wise:
“I have come.” said be. "to ask Mrs.
Cameron a very simple question.” And
turning to that lady, he inquired the
name of her dressmaker.
Had the ceiling above her suddenly
bent and caved in, Genevieve could not
have looked more astonished and possi
bly not more terrified.
"Your pardon.” this gentleman con
tinued. "I am abrupt, and. you probably
think, rude. Let me explain myself:
Dr. Cameron, you. if not your wife,
doubtless remember the affair of a
young girl who died In a doctor’s gig
not long ago from a dose of prussic
acid?”
It was now Dr. Cameron who looked
amazed. "Mildred Farley?” he inquired,
wondering why this name was ever
springing up at his hearthstone.
"The same,” rejoined the other.
“Yes,"assented the doctorwith a glance
at his wife, which she did not meet, so
absorbed was she in the flames of the
dancing firelight before her; “1 remetn-
r the occurrence well; it was no* only
sad hut mysterious. Can the question
you have put my wife have any hear
ing upon this tragic affair?”
“Some,” responded the other, looking,
however, with a most paternal smile
upon the still and stately woman who.
evidently waiting for him to make his
business more intelligible, listened, but
said nothing to his enigmatical remark
study of
the modern
dance, and
through these columns I hope to bring
about a better knowledge and under
standing of the beautiful steps and
postures, the enjoyable motion and
gliding that is so much misunderstood
and that is maligned, as are all mis
understood things.
The turkey trot and the tango and
the better variations of both are beau
tiful dances in their time and place.
But the time is not 5 in the afternoon,
and the place is not the “Dansant” or
"Tango Tea.”
The tango tea is a menace to young
girls. Parents who take the proper
interest in their children can keep them
at home and out of dance halls (spelled
with the second vowel if you prefer)
at night But of course young girls
have to be allowed a certain amount of
freedom in the day, and many a 16-
year-old child drifts out of the pure
air into the drink-and-danger atmos
phere of the tango tea at 5 in the aft
ernoon.
Apart from stage dancing, which is
meant "for to admire and for 4o see,”
there is modern dancing for every one.
The place is the home or the private
ballroom, and the time is an evening
of pleasant relaxation and healthy ex
ercise.
The first thing to consider in ball
room dancing, as I am going to call it,
is position. The turkey trot and tango
should be danced with the partners a
foot apart. These dances rnusl allow
for freedom of motion and individual ex
pression, and to he graceful as well as
modest they demand room for each
partner to move about •easily.
First, then, stand a foot apart, with
the man’s open right palm firmly held
Capacity 1100 400 Private Baths
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Finest bathing bench on Atlantic Coast.
Ownership Management
JOSIAH WHITE A SONS COMPANY
By EVELYN NESBIT THAW.
(Copyright, 1913, by International News
Service )
I S the modern style of dancing really
dancing or vulgarity and acrobatics
set to music?
You hear the question on every side,
with implied criticism of turkey trot
ting and tangoing in every syllable of
the questions.
Modern dancing is really dancing—
and I propose to speak in its defense,
but I shall divide dancing into two
classes, and each class must be kept
In its own place. There is siage danc
ing. which permits of far greater free
dom than ballroom dancing should
dream of taking. Stage dancing may
combine atheltics and acrobatics, and
even a bit a contortion, all duly mingled
with the poetry 1 of motion. Ballroom
dancing should he far more conserva
tive should be. and sometimes is not.
These pictures were especially posed for this page.
enter of the girl's waist in back, procession and be a turkey trot and
Ts left hand is Just below the tango expert.
ight shoulder, with her arm par- To-day I am showing you a little
his; and the girl’s right arm is stretching exercise that it will be wise
held over the man’s left forearm, for you to practice, of suppleness and
s held tense from the bent el- grace, before you start doing the steps
which Mr. Clifford and I will picture for
position allows for free motion you.
eful guidance that will make for ■phe Tan^O SteD
f motion without any jerks or °
\n<! is not the position modest, Next consider the tango step, danced
,re modest than the now gener- for sta * e Purposes only. TUe step itself
tepted and allowed walla posi- ls Wrttj and simple, partners facing
forward, man’s right and girl's left foot
slightly raised, but the close “embrac-
Always. ing’’ position must change for ballroom
usage.
text great rule for the turkey The th|rd plcture the , )egt defense
is: Keep your feet on the floor, j i know for the modern school of dttric-
;lide all the time; don’t bounce ing Is it not graceful, modest and
wriggle or sway in the objec- pretty? 1 hope soon to teach a11 of you
many steps that belong In just the same
fashion of people who do not category with th i s step—and I hope that
ind the modern school of danc- al] my i ong -,]| 3 tance pupils will be able
t dance at It Keep your feet t0 do ateps and whole dances that take
floor and do not shrug jour the | r p i ace t n the same class with this
-s; Just glide along In a near- grace(ul mUe near-minuet dip-step.
Vogue of Waltzing,
It was the second morning of their
new life in their new home that Dr.
Cameron surprised his wife searching
the columns of the morning paper with
great eagerness. Her fact wore an
anxious look, and her bands trembled
nervously.
“What is it?” he asked. “You seem
to be looking for something especial.
Genevieve.”
She at once dropped the paper
“Oh, no,” was her nonchalant reply.
"I was only whiling away a spare mo
ment or so. Is it time for you to go
out ?”
It was. but he lingered a moment.
“I wish I understood you,” said he.
“Understood me?”
“There are moments when you seem
miles away from me."
“Oh, no! Oh. no!”
"Not this moment,” he whispered, for
Bhe had thrown her arms about his
neck and hidden her face on hts breast.
“At no moment," she breathed. “You
are too strong a man to cherish fan
cies.”
He thought so, too, and laughed He
was so freshly alive to love that It made
him hypersensitive.
“You would make any man think
black is white,” he cried.
“I am afraid I should have difficulty
in persuading even this man that white
is black.” she laughed, touching her
hair with her Jewled finger.
"I don't know," he murmured, “you
Jhave not tried.”
m And so their parting was pleasant.
W " ext morning she was first at the
• ; cr ,p;iin, and this time she ex
plained herself.
’ 1 do not see any notice of Dr. Moles
worth’s jkrrest. Should it not be in
the ixp*7- I
“Certainly, and 1 have been wondering | fortnight!
Now, years ago, when the waltz first
came into vogue, it bad many enemies
who considered it vulgar, indecent and
well-nigh impossible to allow in re
spectable places—the poor, dear, con
servative little waltz that is allowed by
all the people who would scarcely dare
to look at a turkey trot to-day.
But the turkey trot is in its infancy
and here bo it said that it is a very
hale and hearty Infant, and when prop
erly brought up and educated will grow
into a very charming youth.
I have given time arid interest to the
among your acquaintances who have spent their
vacation in Colorado. Notice the clear eye, the
springy step, the gotfd color, and then—look in
your mirror. You are tired out; you can’t con.
centrate your mind; your brain is slow to respond
to your will.
You Need Colorado
its mountains, its climate, its wonderful scenery.
Don’t delay another day. Go while this low fare
is in efFect. Make your reservation.
Up-to-the-Minute Jokes
Every Woman
is interested and should
know about the wonderful
Marvel
Douche
Farmer Crab’s brook is noted for the
number and size of its eels. Fishing
therein is "strictly prohibited,” which
in itself is attraction enough for the
small boy.
The other evening an urchin was leav
ing the neighborhood rather hurriedly,
when a youthful friend inquired:
“Caught anything. Bob?"
“Yes,” replied Bob.
been mixed up in some decidedly
shady transactions.
She was giving orders at express
rate, for they were married; and he,
as a rule the most meek and submis
sive of men, .was, like the proverbial
worm, beginning to turn.
"Do you think," he inquired, “that
you rule the whole of the universe?”
“No.” she snapped; “but I rule the
first letter of it.”
A sk yonrdruggist for
it. If he cannot sup-
ply the MARVEL,
accept no other, but
send stamp forbook.
Marvel Co., 44 E. 23d St..N.Y.
"No; toe.”
Hts friend understood and wisely
cided to turn back with Bob.
To Be Continued Monday,
Junior—I hear Briggs got into a lot
of trouble with that girl he was going
with.
Soph—Yes? How’s that?
Junior—He married her.
STANDARD ROAD OF THE WEST
-Political Candidate—Well, did you
discover anything in Stump’s past life
that we can use against him?”
Detective—Not a thing. All he
ever did before he came here was to
sell awnings.
Political Boss—Why. that’s just
what we want. We ll say that he has
A. J. DUTCHER, G. A.
908 Olive Street
St. Louis, Mo.
C. M. ROLLINGS, T. P. A.
620 Woodward Bldg.
Birmingham, Ala.
Barber—How would you like to
have your hair cut, sir?
Customer—With scissors, sir! Did
ye s’pose 1 wanted done with a
scythe?
THE SCENIC WAY
WITH DINING CARS
3KVB