-it would ruin her with the
public. Besides, Douglass is only a poor grub of a journalist, and a
failure in his own line of business. Can't we do something?"

The mother stood in awe of her shining daughter and shook her head. "She
is old enough to know her own mind, Hugh. I darena speak to her.
Besides, I like Mr. Douglass."

"Yes, he won you by claiming Scotch blood. I don't like it. She is
completely absorbed in him. All I can hope is it won't last."

"If she loves him I canna interfere, and if she doesna there is no need
to interfere," replied Mrs. MacDavitt, with sententious wisdom.

VII

At the last moment, when face to face with the public, young Douglass
lost courage. The stake for which he played was so great! Like a man who
has put his last dollar upon the hazard, he was ready to snatch his gold
from the boards. The whole thing seemed weakly tenuous at
dress-rehearsal, and Royleston, half-drunk as usual, persistently
bungled his lines. The children in the second act squeaked like nervous
poll-parrots, and even Helen's sunny brow was darkened by a frown as her
leading man stumbled along to a dead halt again and again.

"Mr. Royleston," she said, with dismay and anger in her voice, "I beg of
you to remember that this is a most serious matter."

Her tone steadied the man, for he was a really brilliant and famous
actor beginning to break. He grew courtly. "Miss Merival, I assure you I
shall be all right to-night."

At this Douglass, tense and hot, shouted an angry word, and rushed into
the semi-darkness of the side aisle. There Helen found him when she came
off, his face black with anger and disgust. "It's all off," he said.
"That conceited fool will ruin us."

"Don't take things too seriously," she pleaded. "Royleston isn't half so
hopeless as he seems; he will come on to-night alert as a sparrow and
astonish you. We have worked very hard, and the whole company needs rest
now rather than more drill. To show your own worry would make them worse
than they are."

In the end he went back to his seat ashamed of his outburst of temper,
and the rehearsal came to an end almost triumphantly, due entirely to
the spirit and example of the star, who permitted herself to act for the
first time.

It was a marvellous experience to see her transformed, by the mere
putting aside of her cloak, from the sweet-faced, thoughtful girl to the
stern, accusing, dark, and tense woman of the play. Her voice took on
th