f their own.
Since her arrival in the city many things had influenced her, but always
in a far-removed manner. This new atmosphere was more friendly. It was
wholly unlike the great brilliant mansions which waved her coldly away,
permitting her only awe and distant wonder. This took her by the hand
kindly, as one who says, "My dear, come in." It opened for her as if
for its own. She had wondered at the greatness of the names upon the
bill-boards, the marvel of the long notices in the papers, the beauty
of the dresses upon the stage, the atmosphere of carriages, flowers,
refinement. Here was no illusion. Here was an open door to see all of
that. She had come upon it as one who stumbles upon a secret passage
and, behold, she was in the chamber of diamonds and delight!

As she dressed with a flutter, in her little stage room, hearing the
voices outside, seeing Mr. Quincel hurrying here and there, noting Mrs.
Morgan and Mrs. Hoagland at their nervous work of preparation, seeing
all the twenty members of the cast moving about and worrying over what
the result would be, she could not help thinking what a delight this
would be if it would endure; how perfect a state, if she could only do
well now, and then some time get a place as a real actress. The thought
had taken a mighty hold upon her. It hummed in her ears as the melody of
an old song.

Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. Without
the interest of Hurstwood, the little hall would probably have been
comfortably filled, for the members of the lodge were moderately
interested in its welfare. Hurstwood's word, however, had gone the
rounds. It was to be a full-dress affair. The four boxes had been taken.
Dr. Norman McNeill Hale and his wife were to occupy one. This was quite
a card. C. R. Walker, dry-goods merchant and possessor of at least two
hundred thousand dollars, had taken another; a well-known coal merchant
had been induced to take the third, and Hurstwood and his friends the
fourth. Among the latter was Drouet. The people who were now pouring
here were not celebrities, nor even local notabilities, in a general
sense. They were the lights of a certain circle--the circle of small
fortunes and secret order distinctions. These gentlemen Elks knew the
standing of one another. They had regard for the ability which could
amass a small fortune, own a nice home, keep a barouche or carriage,
perhaps, wear fine clothes, and maintain a good mercantile pos