Destiny of Eagles Read Free

would have been able to convince him of it.
    * * *
    He looked at the theater marquee.
    Â 
    THE POWER AND THE PRIDE
    Â 
    A Drama in Three Acts
    Â 
    Starring
    Â 
    ANDREW AND ROSANNA MacCALLISTER
    Â 
    In a rare
    Â 
    Joint Appearance
    Â 
    There was quite a line waiting for tickets. Andrew had told Falcon that he didn’t have to stand in line, that he could just come right inside the doors, show his letter of introduction, and he would be taken right to his seat.
    Following his brother’s instructions, Falcon opened the door, but was approached by a stern-faced man in uniform.
    â€œGet back in line, you!” he said.
    â€œBut I’ve got . . .” Falcon started to say, holding up his letter.
    â€œI don’t care what you have,” the uniformed man said.
    â€œYou must return to the line.”
    Not wanting to cause any trouble, Falcon returned to the line, where he waited patiently.
    A carriage stopped and three young women got out, then joined the line behind him. They were speaking excitedly about the play, and during the course of the conversation, he realized that they were college students.
    When he reached the box office, he showed the letter to the ticket agent. The agent looked at it. Then his eyes grew wide and he looked up at Falcon.
    â€œYou are Mr. MacCallister?” he asked. “You are the brother of the MacCallisters?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œMy goodness, sir, there was no need for you to stand in line. The private box is yours, please, go in.”
    â€œThank you,” Falcon said. He’d started to turn away when he heard the ticket agent tell the three young women behind him that there no more seats available.
    â€œOh, but I must see it,” one of the girls said. “I love Andrew and Rosanna MacCallister. Can’t we be allowed to come in and stand in the back?”
    â€œI’m sorry, that isn’t possible.”
    Falcon stepped back to the ticket window. “Excuse me,” he said. “Did you say I have a private box all to myself?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow many seats are in that box?”
    â€œThere are six, I believe, Mr. MacCallister.”
    â€œMacCallister?” one of the young women said with a gasp. “Is your name MacCallister?”
    â€œYes,” Falcon said. “And if you are interested, I would like to invite you and your two friends to join me in the box.”
    â€œOh! Oh, how wonderful of you to ask! Yes, of course we would love to join you. That is . . . if you are serious.”
    â€œI’m serious,” Falcon said. “What man would not want three pretty girls to join him?”
    â€œThank you,” the girl replied. “But biologically speaking, we aren’t girls. We are of the age to be considered women.”
    Falcon chuckled. “Of course you are,” he said.
    â€œI am Anna Heckemeyer of Medora, Dakota Territory,” the young woman said. “These are my two friends, Miss Gail Thorndyke of New York, and Miss Emma Lou Patterson of Richmond, Virginia.”
    Shortly after Falcon and his young guests reached the box, the gaslights in the theater were dimmed, the lights on the stage came up, and the curtain opened. Rosanna was standing at center stage, reading what appeared to be a letter. The audience applauded.
    After a moment of silent reading, she thrust the letter down by her side with her left hand, while with her right, she pinched the bridge of her nose.
    â€œOh, what terrible news to bring me! I have word of the death of my betrothed. I feel as if my heart has been ripped from my body!”
    The audience reacted with an audible “Ohhh.”
    Andrew came in, and again, the audience applauded. Andrew was in the costume of an army officer.
    â€œClaire, my sister. I have come to you with terrible news! My friend, your beloved Filbert, was slain upon the field of battle.”
    Falcon watched the entire play, more engrossed by the reaction of