ashamed.
I'm that 'shamed that I wouldn't wonder if I'm scared too. Oh, dear Mrs.
Gilmore, Basile's so sick! The doctors are doing all they can for him,
and mom-a and mammy Joy are with him; but he's so tortured with pain,
and with fright! And the bishop--he's pow'ful weak, as mammy Joy says.
One of those sweet sisters--of charity--I got her up through the
speaking-tube--oh, you know what I mean--and she's there now talking to
him _so_ beautifully! And down on the lower deck, freight deck, Madame
Marburg's sick too, and her son and the priest and the other sister are
with her and with the other sick ones--there's a dozen of them!" The
last words were to Gilmore as he and Hugh appeared at the outer door.

The actor stepped inquiringly into the narrow room and began a warning
whisper but Ramsey spoke on to wife and husband by turns: "And in the
face of all that here we are--or here I am--about to do the silliest,
most heartless thing in all my silly, heartless life. No, I'm not
ready."

"Tsh-sh!" whispered the husband, with both hands up. "My dear young
lady, this isn't you; you've caught this mood of a moment from your
brother."

It was not his words, however, that startled Ramsey to silence; the
audience was again stamping and pounding. Now she resumed: "Oh, I hear!
Mrs. Gilmore, the trouble's not that home song nor the spring song nor
the love-song; it's that silly thing you-all say I _must_ sing if I get
an encore--which I can't believe I'll get!"

"My dear, you'll get several. We've arranged that."

"Arr'--! Why, I've only that one silly thing!"

"The fate of the whole show is in that one silly thing."

"Oh, it's not! It's in you two talented, professional, famous people!"

"Ah, maybe it ought to be, but it's not. That's the way of the stage, my
dear. Your silly thing has plenty of verses. Sing only two at a time."

"A sort o' Hayle's twins," laughed the girl. Then despairingly she
dropped to the edge of the berth. But Hugh had been pushing in past the
players and as he reached her she sprang erect again.

"This is entirely my doing," he said to her. "These two good friends
mustn't urge you to sing. They're in danger, you know; greater danger
than they'll believe."

Gilmore broke in: "Now, Mr. Hugh, listen to me."

But Ramsey put out a hand. "No, _you_ listen--to him," and Hugh went on:

"Should it come to be known by--certain ones----"

"Certain twos," said Ramsey, "go on."

"It would double, or t