e was a frozen look of disgust.

"We'll go back after the second act," said Harvey, struggling with his
hat, which wouldn't go in the rack sideways. "I'll arrange everything
then."

"Rotten seats," said Mr. Butler, who had expected the front row or a
box.

"The scenery is always better from the back of the house," explained
his host, uncomfortably.

"Damn the scenery!" said Mr. Butler. "I never look at it."

"Wait till you see the setting in the second----" began Harvey, with
forced enthusiasm, when the lights went down and the curtain was
whisked upward, revealing a score of pretty girls representing merry
peasants, in costumes that cost a hundred dollars apiece, and
glittering with diamond rings.

Mr. Butler glowered through the act. He couldn't see a thing, he
swore.

"I should think the husband of the star could get the best seats in
the house," he said when the act was half-over, showing where his
thoughts were.

"That press agent hates me," said Harvey, showing where his had been.

"Hates you? In God's name, why?"

"I've had to call him down a couple of times," said Harvey,
confidentially. "Good and hard, too."

"I suppose that's why he makes you take a back seat," said Butler,
sarcastically.

"Well, what can a fellow do?" complained the other. "If I could have
seen Mr.--"

A man sitting behind tapped him on the shoulder.

"Will you be good enough to stop talking while the curtain's up?" he
requested, in a state of subdued belligerency.

Harvey subsided without even so much as a glance to see what the
fellow was like.

After the act Butler suggested a drink, which was declined.

"I don't drink," explained Harvey.

His companion snorted. "I'd like to know what kind of a supper we're
going to have if you don't drink. Be a sport!"

"Oh, don't you worry about that," said Harvey. "Ginger ale livens me
up as much as anything. I used to simply pour the liquor down me. I
had to give it up. It was getting the best of me. You should have seen
the way I was carrying on out there in Blakeville before----"

"Well, come out and watch me take a drink," interrupted Butler,
wearily. "It may brace you up."

Harvey looked helplessly at the three ladies over whom they would have
to climb in order to reach the aisle and shook his head.

"We're going out after the next act. Let's wait till then."

"Give me my seat check," said Butler, shortly. "I'm going out."
Receiving the check, he trampled his way out