" which is counted sufficient for an
aspirant to musical comedy honors, Rita, by the prefixing of two letters
to her name, set out to conquer the play-going world as Rita Dresden.

Two years of hard work and disappointment served to dispel the girl's
illusions. She learned to appreciate at its true value that masculine
admiration which, in an unusual degree, she had the power to
excite. Those of her admirers who were in a position to assist her
professionally were only prepared to use their influence upon terms
which she was unprepared to accept. Those whose intentions were strictly
creditable, by some malignancy of fate, possessed no influence whatever.
She came to regard herself as a peculiarly unlucky girl, being ignorant
of the fact that Fortune, an impish hierophant, imposes identical tests
upon every candidate who aspires to the throne of a limelight princess.

Matters stood thus when a new suitor appeared in the person of Sir
Lucien Pyne. When his card was brought up to Rita, her heart leaped
because of a mingled emotion of triumph and fear which the sight of the
baronet's name had occasioned. He was a director of the syndicate in
whose production she was playing--a man referred to with awe by
every girl in the company as having it in his power to make or mar a
professional reputation. Not that he took any active part in the affairs
of the concern; on the contrary, he was an aristocrat who held himself
aloof from all matters smacking of commerce, but at the same time one
who invested his money shrewdly. Sir Lucien's protegee of today was
London's idol of tomorrow, and even before Rita had spoken to him she
had fought and won a spiritual battle between her true self and that
vain, admiration-loving Rita Dresden who favored capitulation.

She knew that Sir Lucien's card represented a signpost at the
cross-roads where many a girl, pretty but not exceptionally talented,
had hesitated with beating heart. It was no longer a question of
remaining a member of the chorus (and understudy for a small part) or
of accepting promotion to "lead" in a new production; it was that of
accepting whatever Sir Lucien chose to offer--or of retiring from the
profession so far as this powerful syndicate was concerned.

Such was the reputation enjoyed at this time by Sir Lucien Pyne among
those who had every opportunity of forming an accurate opinion.

Nevertheless, Rita was determined not to succumb without a struggle. She
did not co