lot." "I
won't," he assured her. "I don't believe in gambling." He wondered about
Sarah's own salary, and was surprised to learn that it was now double
his own. It was surprising, because her acting seemed not so important
to the piece as his. "It seems like a lot of money for what you have to
do," he said.

"There," she smiled warmly, "didn't I always say you were a natural-born
trouper? Well, it is a lot of money for me, but you see I've helped Jeff
dope out both of these pieces. I'm not so bad at gags--I mean the kind
of stuff he needs in these serious dramas. This big scene of yours,
where you go off to the city and come back a wreck on Christmas
night--that's mine. I doped it out after the piece was started--after
I'd had a good look at the truck driver that plays opposite you."

Truck driver? It appeared that Miss Montague was actually applying this
term to the New York society girl who in private life was burdened with
an ailing family. He explained now that Mr. Baird had not considered her
ideal for the part, but had chosen her out of kindness.

Again there flickered far back in her eyes those lights that baffled
him. There was incredulity in her look, but she seemed to master it.

"But I think it was wonderful of you," he continued, "to write that
beautiful scene. It's a strong scene, Sarah. I didn't know you could
write, too. It's as good as anything Tessie Kearns ever did, and she's
written a lot of strong scenes."

Miss Montague seemed to struggle with some unidentified emotion. After a
long, puzzling gaze she suddenly said: "Merton Gill, you come right here
with all that make-up on and give mother a good big kiss!"

Astonishingly to himself, he did so in the full light of day and under
the eyes of one of the New York villains who had been pretending that he
walked a tight-rope across the yard. After he had kissed the girl, she
seized him by both arms and shook him. "I'd ought to have been using my
own face in that scene," she said. Then she patted his shoulder and told
him that he was a good boy.

The pretending tight-rope walker had paused to applaud. "Your act's
flopping, Bo," said Miss Montague. "Work fast." Then she again addressed
the good boy: "Wait till you've watched that scene before you thank me,"
she said shortly.

"But it's a strong scene," he insisted.

"Yes," she agreed. "It's strong."

He told her of the other instance of Baird's kindness of heart.

"You know I was a little afra