miled again.

Hosmer DeVere, who was a middle-aged, rather corpulent and
exceedingly kind and cultured gentleman, was the father of the two
girls. Their mother had been dead about seven years, a cold caught in
playing on a draughty stage developing into pneumonia, from which she
never rallied.

Ruth and Alice came of a theatrical family--at least, on their
father's side--for his father and grandfather before him had enviable
histrionic reputations. Mrs. DeVere had been a vivacious country
maid--or, rather, a maid in a small town that was classed as being on
the "country" circuit by the company playing it. Mr. DeVere, then
blossoming into a leading man, was in the troupe, and became
acquainted with his future wife through the medium of the theater.
She had sought an interview with the manager, seeking a chance to
"get on the boards," and Mr. DeVere admired her greatly.

Their married life was much happier than the usual theatrical union,
and under the guidance and instruction of her husband Mrs. DeVere had
become one of the leading juvenile players. Both her husband and
herself were fond of home life, and they had looked forward to the
day when they could retire and shut themselves away from the public
with their two little daughters.

But fortunes are seldom made on the stage--not half as often as is
imagined--and the time seemed farther and farther off. Then came Mrs.
DeVere's illness and death, and for a time a broken-hearted man
withdrew himself from the world to devote his life to his daughters.

But the call of the stage was imperative, not so much from choice as
necessity, for Mr. DeVere could do little to advantage save act, and
in this alone could he make a living. So he had returned to the
"boards," filling various engagements with satisfaction, and taking
his daughters about with him.

Rather strange to say, up to the present, though literally saturated
with the romance and hard work of the footlights, neither Ruth nor
Alice had shown any desire to go on the stage. Or, if they had it,
they had not spoken of it. And their father was glad.

Mr. DeVere was a clever character actor, and had created a number of
parts that had won favor. He inclined to whimsical comedy roles,
rather than to romantic drama, and several of his old men studies are
remembered on Broadway to this day. He had acted in Shakespeare, but
he had none of that burning desire, with which many actors are
credited, to play Hamlet. Mr. DeV