me since he
had left England, two years ago. Two years ago! Such a distance had been
placed between him and Gertrude--between him and Annette!

A dreary farce in three acts greeted him, and ambitions awoke anew. The
cheery comedian asked:

'Why not try it on the dog? Give us a bit of human nature, dear child.
Run it round these far outlying provinces. No harm to you if you make
a failure; loads of minted money if you make a hit. What I always say,
dear boy: minimize the risk of failure--eh?'

Paul took fire. He knew his man, and could fit him like a glove.

'Where are you in ten weeks' time?' he asked 'Ten weeks? said the
comedian. 'Auckland.' 'Good!' said Paul. 'We meet in Auckland.' 'Right
you are,' said the comedian; and then they parted, and never met again
for years.

But the talk set Paul at work again, and he laboured like a Trojan on
the shores of Lake Te Anau, with heath and sky and mountains for his
comrades and inspirers, and when his play was finished he went back
to civilization to discover that his comedian was well on his way to
England. That mattered little enough. He sent a copy of the piece to
Darco, and wandered hither and thither about the southern island until
by hazard he tumbled against a new fate in the person of a new comedian.

'And you don't happen to have a play in your pocket, Mr. Armstrong? said
he, in the first hour of their acquaintanceship.

'As it happens,'said Paul, 'I have. You may read it this afternoon.'

There was a business chaffer, and the affair was virtually settled. Paul
was to read the play to the company of the travelling comedian on the
morrow.

He presented himself at the theatre at the appointed hour, and the
manager kept him waiting for a minute or two whilst he harangued the
baggage-man.

'You'll know her by this portrait: she's small; she's very
ordinary-looking; she wears her hair in a topknot, with a hat stuck over
it about so high'--he held his arms abroad. 'Excuse me, Mr. Armstrong,
we are all ready for you with the exception of a lady who will be here
in half an hour. I wired for her a week ago to Australia The boat
was signalled two hours since. Since we must wait, you won't mind my
utilizing the half-hour?'

'Pray go on,' said Paul; and, seating himself upon a rolled-up bale of
carpet, surrendered his mind to ennui.

In due time the lady for whose help the company waited appeared. The
play was read, the characters were apportioned, and the date of