Why, my boy, there's a cold five hundred plunks in it. Society ladies
on the committee. They will dispose of the tickets. One of them wants to
act. I've promised to let her try and give her the opening. 'The Lady of
Lyons' will be the play, and I will be the _Claude_."

"Well, Fogg, may the Lord have mercy on the audience--as well as on
_Melnotte_."

"Oh, hold up, old chap. Don't be rough on a fellow. You know very well I
have played much more difficult roles. Haven't I played _Hamlet_?"

"You have, indeed," answered Handy, "and played the devil with him,
too."

"This is positively rude," replied Fogg, "and only that I am aware you
mean no real unkindness I would feel very much put out. I know you don't
really mean it."

"Of course I don't. It was spoken in the way of fun. Now, let me know in
what way I can help you and you can count me in. Business is business,
old pal, and I know you will do the square thing."

"There's my hand on it. Now I must be off. Meet me at my apartment
to-morrow forenoon at eleven and we'll go over the details."

"Count on me. I will be there. So long."

CHAPTER XIII

"Life is mostly froth and bubble;
Two things stand like stone--
Kindness in another's trouble
Courage in your own."

--THE HILL.

Next forenoon, promptly at eleven o'clock, Handy was at Fogg's house. A
ring at the door-bell was responded to by that gentleman in person. Half
a minute later both were settled down in Fogg's Bohemian quarters, which
consisted of a small reception-room and still smaller bed-chamber. The
reception-room was not luxuriously furnished, but it was by no means
shabbily equipped. A piano stood in one corner, a writing-desk placed
close to the window, and a well-used Morris chair were the most
conspicuous articles of furniture. Photographs in abundance were
scattered all around on the walls, and on a table there were enough old
playbooks to make a respectable showing in a second-hand book store. The
two men had not been seated more than five minutes when the bell at the
hall door was rung, and in an instant Fogg was out of his chair and on
his feet.

"What's the matter?" inquired Handy.

"I guess," replied Fogg, "that's the committee. They promised to be here
at this hour. Excuse me for a moment," and before Handy could say
another word Fogg was half-way down the first flight of stairs. The
noise of the opening and closing of the street door was heard, and the