"There is nothing usual about him. He is liable to land here any time
between now and midnight, if he comes at all."

"He doesn't come every day, then?"

The man grinned.

"Say, you're new to this game, ain't you? Sometimes he don't show up for
days. The steno can tell you whether he is coming to-day."

"The steno?"

"Yes. The skirt that's in his office."

"When does she come?"

"Oh, about ten or eleven."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Jarvis made the ascent again. He stood about for nearly an hour before
the office girl arrived. "Those stairs is the limit," she gasped. "You
waiting for me?"

"I am waiting for Mr. Belasco."

"Oh! Appointment?"

"No."

"Got a letter to him?"

"No."

"What do you want to see him about? A job?"

"No. About a play."

She ushered him in, opened the windows, took off her hat, looked at
herself in the mirror, while she patted her wonderful hair. She powdered
her nose, fixed her neck ruffle, apparently oblivious of Jarvis.

"What time do you expect Mr. Belasco?"

"Goodness only knows."

"Do you think he will come to-day?"

"Far be it from me to say."

"But I wish to see him."

"Many a blond has twirled his thumbs around here for weeks for the same
reason."

"But I am only in New York for a little while."

"I should worry," said she, opening her typewriter desk. "Give me your
play. I'll see that it gets to him."

"I'd rather talk to him myself."

"Suit yourself."

"I suppose I can wait here?"

"No charge for chairs," said the cheerful one.

An hour passed, broken only by the click of the typewriter. Conventional
overtures from the cheerful one being discouraged, she smashed the keys
in sulky silence. From eleven to twelve things were considerably
enlivened. Many sleek youths, of a type he had seen on Broadway,
arrived. They saluted the cheerful one gayly as "Sally" and indulged in
varying degrees of witty persiflage before the inevitable "The
Governor in?"

"Nope."

"Expect him to-day?"

"I dunno."

"Billy here?"

"Dunno."

"Thank you, little one."

Sometimes they departed, sometimes they joined Jarvis's waiting party.
Lovely ladies, and some not so lovely. Old and young, fat and thin, they
climbed the many stairs and met their disappointment cheerfully. They
usually fell upon Jack, or Billy, or Jim, of the waiters, who, in turn,
fell upon Belle, or Susan, or Fay.

"What are you with? How's business?" were always the first questio