eclared Martha. "I have had my chance, and I have failed.
To-night the theater will be closed."

"Well, that's wise, at any rate," said Gordon. "So it's merely a change
of angels--with you, Clayton, to pay the bills?"

"Hereafter," said Clayton, calmly, "it will be my pleasure and my
privilege to pay all of Miss Farnum's bills for life. She has promised
to be my wife."

"What?" cried Martha, in surprise.

"Your wife?" demanded Gordon.

"Precisely," continued Clayton. "I bid higher than anything you can
offer, Gordon. My bid includes a wedding ring."

Gordon stepped back, looked from Martha to Clayton, and back again to
the girl, who stood, confused and embarrassed, with her eyes turned
toward the floor. Then the innate refinement and the result of years of
breeding asserted itself in Gordon's pale face. He stepped forward
seriously to Martha.

"Miss Farnum," he said, humbly and sincerely, "better men than _I_ have
made mistakes. May I wish you every happiness? The same to you, Clayton,
with all my heart. Good-bye."

He turned and walked from the room. Not until he had gone did Martha
dare to look Clayton squarely in the face.

"I was going to write you this morning," she said, "to tell you that I
am going home."

"Without your manager's permission? Not even a two weeks' notice?"

"Do be serious, please," she pleaded. Then with a sudden outburst of
passion: "I've failed in everything I ever tried."

"You haven't failed in my eyes," declared Clayton, taking her hand,
while she turned away from him. "You have merely missed one opportunity
you had dreamed of."

"Yesterday I dreamed, but to-day I am awake. I am going home."

Clayton reached over and took her other hand, then swung her around so
that she faced him and could not evade his direct glance.

"Didn't I tell Gordon I was going to marry you?" he demanded. "I've run
out of all my other fads, and now my latest fad is trying to run away
from me."

Martha gazed up at him coquettishly. "You mean you want to marry me just
to see what I'll do?" she pouted.

"That's one of the reasons, not to mention loving you," replied Clayton,
in a brisk, businesslike tone. "Well?"

Martha paused a moment. "Do you remember," she asked, "once you said the
greatest success meant nothing if the right person did not share it with
you?"

"Yes."

"You were right. And now I know that the greatest failure also means
nothing, if the right person _does_ share it with you.