toward the
stage. "If that is all you wish, I hope from the bottom of my heart you
will win it to-night."

Martha withdrew her hand, turned, and half smiled, just before stepping
upon the stage.

"I wonder if it is?" she said wistfully, and in another moment Clayton
heard a roll of applause go over the house as she stepped before the
footlights.

CHAPTER XIV

THE MORNING AFTER

White and gold were the decorations of Martha's apartment in the
Webster--all white and gold except the dainty bedroom, which was in
pink. Visitors, however, saw only the white and gold of the parlor and
the drawing-room, with perhaps an occasional glimpse into the dark-oak
dining-room.

The first streaks of early dawn, penetrating the crevices behind the
heavy, drawn curtains, cast a few shadows, and in the dim light one
might have seen a dozen baskets of flowers, mostly orchids and roses,
ranged about the drawing-room.

It must have been almost nine o'clock when Lizzie, entering from the
maid's room, drew the curtains and flooded the white and gold parlor
with rich, warm sun-light. The curtains of the bedroom were still drawn,
but evidently Martha was wide awake, for a voice called from the inner
room.

"Is that you, Lizzie?"

"Yes, Miss Martha," replied the maid. "It's 'most nine o'clock. Shall I
get you the papers?"

Martha, hastily throwing on a pink dressing-gown, entered the parlor.
Her eyes were still heavy, and her face was drawn and troubled.

"I've had a wretched night," she said, dropping into a great arm-chair.
"I couldn't sleep. After that terrible ordeal--"

"Terrible?" repeated Lizzie, aghast. "Lord, Miss, I heard all the stage
hands say the show was great. The actors are the only ones I heard roast
it at all."

"I'm afraid I made a terrible mistake," sighed Martha. "I tried to do
things too quickly. I was ambitious, but I forgot that the race is not
always to the swift. I should have spent years and years in preparation
before attempting last night. Of course I was misled by the management,
who made me believe I was being promoted because of my ability."

"And wasn't that the truth?" demanded Lizzie.

Martha smiled wanly. "I can't explain now," she said. "I know I never
realized until after last night what an absolute failure I had been."

"Oh, don't say that, Miss Martha," protested Lizzie. "Look at the
applause you got, and all these flowers."

"Applause and flowers--that's all failures ever get