ith Martha, and further explains the
fact that three days later he was closeted with Weldon in the inner
private office of Suite 1239 in the Knickerbocker Theater Building.

"It will cost about twenty thousand cold, before we ring up the
curtain," explained Weldon, skillfully calculating with the aid of a
pencil and a pad of paper. "It will take about seven thousand for the
production, including costumes and uniforms. Everything is Viennese this
season, so we must get the correct atmosphere. Advertising and printing
may take up two or three thousand more, and then we'll probably have to
guarantee at least twenty-five hundred to the theater we select. I'd
like to get a classy theater like the Globe, where they have ushers in
English military uniforms, and society people always go there because
some one tipped them off that it was _the_ society theater of New York.
But it might take a little more money to get the Globe."

"Get the Globe by all means," said Gordon. "A few thousand more or less
mean nothing if the thing is a hit, and if it is a failure, I guess I
can stand the loss quite as well."

Victor Weldon sprang to his feet excitedly. The "roping in" had been
easier than he anticipated, for Sanford Gordon, in spite of his
propensity for squandering wealth in certain directions, belonged to the
category of "wise people." No one ever wasted postage to send him
green-goods catalogues, and Weldon had been extremely doubtful of his
ability to get Gordon as a backer, although, of course, he had enjoyed
unlimited opportunities to win his confidence while acting as Mrs.
Dainton's manager.

"It's the chance of a lifetime," Weldon thought to himself as he clasped
Gordon's hand to bind the bargain.

"I'll have the necessary legal papers drawn up by my lawyer," explained
Gordon. "The money will be deposited with the Commercial Trust Company
to-morrow morning. You will handle this production exactly as though it
is your own--with one exception, my dear Weldon."

"What is that?" asked Weldon, apprehensively.

"You will engage for the leading role a young lady I will designate--"

"Ah, now I understand--" began Weldon, smiling.

"--who will have no inkling whatever of the fact that I am the backer of
this show. In fact, no one must know that I am furnishing the money.
Furthermore, at any time I see fit--if, for instance, the young lady
cannot, in my judgment, play the part satisfactorily--I reserve the
right to stop the w