to confer upon
him a great favor. "Look here, you fellows," Sir Adrian goes on, walking
toward the other men, who are still arguing and disputing over the vexed
question, "I've settled it all for you. Here is my cousin; he will take
the difficulty off your hands, and be a first-class Marlow at the same
time."

A suppressed consternation follows this announcement. Many and dark
are the glances cast upon the new-comer, who receives them all with
his usual imperturbable smile. Rising, Arthur approaches one of the
astonished group who is known to him, and says something upon the
subject with a slight shrug of his shoulders. As he is Sir Adrian's
cousin, every one feels that it will be impossible to offer any
objection to his taking the much-coveted part.

"Well, I have sacrificed myself for you; I have renounced a very dear
desire all to please you," says Sir Adrian softly, bending down to
Florence. "Have I succeeded?"

"You have succeeded in displeasing me more than I can say," she returns
coldly. Then, seeing his amazed expression, she goes on hastily,
"Forgive me, but I had hoped for another Marlow."

She blushes prettily as she says this, and an expression arises in her
dark eyes that moves him deeply. Stooping over her hand, he imprints a
kiss upon it. Dora Talbot, whose head is turned aside, sees nothing of
this, but Arthur Dynecourt has observed the silent caress, and a dark
frown gathers on his brow.

CHAPTER II.

Every day and all day long there is nothing but rehearsing. In every
corner two or more may be seen studying together the parts they have to
play. Florence Delmaine alone refuses to rehearse her part except in
full company, though Mr. Dynecourt has made many attempts to induce her
to favor him with a private reading of those scenes in which he and she
must act together. He has even appealed to Dora Talbot to help him in
this matter, which she is only too willing to do, as she is secretly
desirous of flinging the girl as much in his way as possible. Indeed
anything that would keep Florence out of Sir Adrian's sight would be
welcome to her; so that she listens kindly to Arthur Dynecourt when he
solicits her assistance.

"She evidently shuns me," he says in an aggrieved tone to her one
evening, sinking into the seat beside hers. "Except a devotion to her
that is singularly sincere, I know of nothing about me that can be
regarded by her as an offense. Yet it appears to me that she dislikes
me