vaggio, who, though
required to report at every rehearsal, was not in the cast for that
night and was readily excused from further attendance. Since Bobby had
received a very pleasant letter from Agnes when he got up that morning
he opened this missive with a touch of curiosity added to the thrill
with which he always took in his hands any missive, no matter how
trivial, from her. It was but a brief note calling attention to the
enclosed newspaper clipping, and wishing him success in his new
venture. The clipping was a flamboyant article describing the decision
of the city council to install a magnificent new ten-million-dollar
waterworks system, and the personally interesting item in it, ringed
around with a pencil mark, was that Silas Trimmer had been appointed
by Mayor Garland as president of the waterworks commission.

It was not news that could alter his fortunes in any way so far as he
could see, but it did remind him, with a strange whipping of his
conscience, that, after all, his place was back home, and that his
proper employment should be the looking after his home interests. For
the first time he began to have a dim realization that a man's place
was among his enemies, where he could watch them.

CHAPTER XXI

WHEREIN THE FINE ARTS PRESENT BOBBY WITH A MOST EMBARRASSING DILEMMA

It had become by no means strange to Bobby, even before the company
"took the road," that some one of the principals should attach
themselves to him in all his possible goings and comings, for each and
every one of them had some complaint to make about all the others.
They wanted readjustments of cast, better parts to sing, better
dressing-rooms, better hotel quarters, better everything than the
others had, and with the unhappy and excited Monsieur Noire he shared
this unending strife. At first he saw it all in a humorous light, but,
by and by, he came to a period of ennui and tried to rebel. This
period gave him more trouble than the other, so within a short time he
lapsed into an apathetic complaint-receptacle and dreamed no more of
walking or riding to and from the hotel without one of these impulsive
children of art, who seethed perpetually in self-prodded artificial
emotions, attached to him. If it seemed strange at times that Madam
Villenauve was more frequently with him than any of the others he only
reflected that the vivacious little Frenchwoman was much more
persistent; nor did he note that, presently, the others