hispered to a neighbor and then
some one laughed, which relieved the unnatural tension. All forced
themselves to appear cheerful and unconcerned, each secretly ashamed to
be there, humiliated at being subjected to the same treatment as
menials in this Intelligence office of the stage.

Two women were talking in an undertone and Weston, sitting close by,
could not help hearing what they said. One, an attractive,
modest-looking girl, was almost in tears, complaining bitterly of
indignities to which she had been subjected by a manager.

"I wouldn't stand for it," she said, "so he gave me two weeks' notice,
on the pretext that the author didn't like me in the part. He knew he
was lying--my notices were fine! Such a time as I had with him! I made
a hit on the opening night. He came back on the stage and invited me to
supper. As he talked of signing with me for five years, I didn't dare
refuse. At supper he let me understand what the price would be. I
instantly rose from the table and told him I wasn't that kind of a
girl. Then he got mad. He told me to think well before I made the
mistake of my life. He said no girls got along on the stage unless they
consented to these conditions, and that if I refused I would be
blacklisted by every manager in town. I didn't even deign to answer. I
called a cab and left him. The following day I got my walking papers. I
did not care so much about leaving the company. Under the circumstances
I couldn't have stayed and retained my self respect. I laughed at his
threat, but I've since found it was no idle one. I've been turned down
everywhere."

Her companion, an older woman, more sophisticated and more worldly,
shook her head sympathetically:

"Nonsense, child, that's only a coincidence. It's preposterous to
imagine for a moment that reputable managers would lend themselves to
anything of the kind. You happened to come across a scoundrel--that's
all. Broadway's full of such human vultures--more's the pity--and
they're giving the stage a bad name. But a woman doesn't have to be bad
unless she wants to be. Maybe advancement is quicker by the easiest
way, but the good girls get there just the same, if they've talent.
Look at the women who have succeeded on the stage and whose name not a
breath of scandal has ever touched. Take, for instance, Maude----"

Before she could complete the name, the door of Mr. Quiller's sanctum
opened, and a young woman emerged, followed to the threshold by the