as appearance
went, a far better Lord Finchley than the late Mr. Hill. He beckoned
imperiously.

"You at the end!"

"Me?" said the young man.

"Yes, you. What's your name?"

"Rooke. Frederick Rooke, don't you know."

"You're English, aren't you?"

"Eh? Oh, yes, absolutely!"

"Ever played a part before?"

"Part? Oh, I see what you mean. Well, in amateur theatricals, you
know, and all that sort of rot."

His words were music to Mr. Goble's ears. He felt that his Napoleonic
action had justified itself by success. His fury left him. If he had
been capable of beaming, one would have said that he beamed at
Freddie.

"Well, you play the part of Lord Finchley from now on. Come to my
office this afternoon for your contract. Clear the stage. We've wasted
enough time."

Five minutes later, in the wings, Freddie, receiving congratulations
from Nelly Bryant, asserted himself.

"_Not_ the Automat to-day, I _think_, what? Now that I'm a jolly old
star and all that sort of thing, it can't be done. Directly this is
over we'll roll round to the Cosmopolis. A slight celebration is
indicated, what? Right ho! Rally round, dear heart, rally round!"

CHAPTER XV

JILL EXPLAINS

I

The lobby of the Hotel Cosmopolis is the exact centre of New York, the
spot where at certain hours one is sure of meeting everybody one
knows. The first person that Nelly and Freddie saw, as they passed
through the swing doors, was Jill. She was seated on the chair by the
big pillar in the middle of the hall.

"What ho!" said Freddie. "Waiting for someone?"

"Hullo, Freddie. Yes, I'm waiting for Wally Mason. I got a note from
him this morning, asking me to meet him here. I'm a little early. I
haven't congratulated you yet. You're wonderful!"

"Thanks, old girl. Our young hero _is_ making pretty hefty strides in
his chosen profesh, what? Mr. Rooke, who appears quite simple and
unspoiled by success, replied to our representative's enquiry as to
his future plans, that he proposed to stagger into the grill-room and
imbibe about eighteen dollars' worth of lunch. Yes, it _is_ a bit of
all right, taking it by and large, isn't it? I mean to say, the
salary, the jolly old salary, you know ... quite a help when a
fellow's lost all his money!"

Jill was surprised to observe that the Last of the Rookes was
contorting his face in an unsightly manner that seemed to be an
attempt at a wink, pregnant with hidden meaning. She took her cue
dutif