. Burgess will tell you that. I
know I'm not so very good as an actress, but I try to be. I'd like to
succeed myself. They're very patient with me. Of course, they've got to
be--that's another thing you're paying for; but I don't seem to get
along except this way."

Brockton shrugged his shoulders impatiently.

"Oh, don't get sentimental," he said testily. "If you're going to bring
up that sort of talk, Laura, do it some time when I haven't got a
hang-over, and then, don't forget, talk never does count for much."

Rising and going to the mirror, Laura picked up a hat from a box, put
it on, and looked at herself in the mirror. She turned around and
looked at her companion steadfastly for a moment without speaking. It
was on the tip of her tongue to tell him the truth there and then, tell
him she had lied about mailing the letter to Madison, and that she had
been miserable ever since; tell him that this rotten, artificial life
disgusted and degraded her, that she was sick of it and of him. But she
had not the courage.

Meantime, Brockton, left to himself, went on perusing the paper more
carefully. Suddenly he stopped and looked at his watch.

"What time is it?" inquired Laura.

"After ten."

"Aren't you ever going out?" she demanded crossly.

Deeply engrossed in his paper, the broker made no answer. His eye had
just been attracted to an item which particularly interested him. It
was a despatch from Chicago, and read as follows:

"A story has reached here of an extraordinary gold find just made
in Nevada by two lucky prospectors. The men set out from Goldfield
several weeks ago, and got lost in the mountains. After enduring
terrible privations, and almost perishing in the blizzard, they
were found in last extremity by a party of hunters. They had
actually discovered gold, having accidentally stumbled on one of
the richest ore deposits in the gold region. A nugget of enormous
size was brought in by the rescuing party in support of their
well-nigh incredible story. The prospectors quickly recovered from
their terrible experience, and one of them, named John Madison, is
now on his way East for the purpose of organizing a syndicate which
will begin at once large operations in the Nevada gold fields.
Rumor has it that Mr. Madison will also bring back a bride."

Brockton caught his breath and looked sharply over at Laura. Did she
know about this? Was it the explanat