it from Jimmy himself," replied Nunkie.

"Jimmy told you? And what has Jimmy to do with it?" asked Lily,
anguish-stricken.

"What has he to do with it? Why, he's simply going to top the bill," said
Nunkie. "And, besides, Harrasford has left it to him to make out the
program. Why, didn't you know?... Your friend Jimmy...?"

She was in the street once more, feeling weak-kneed and light-headed. She
leaned on Glass-Eye's arm; she had a pain in her side from the emotion.
She felt inclined to enter a cafe, to get drunk on champagne, to forget.

The next day an awful headache made her keep her room.

"To-morrow," she said to Glass-Eye, "to-morrow I will fetch my bike."

She dared not go out; she felt as if it was written on her forehead:

"The New Trickers at the Astrarium! Daisy Woolly-legs at the Astrarium and
not you!"

And, "to-morrow," again she spent the day stretched on her bed. And the
next day, well, as she had to ... as her bike was her bread-winner, after
all ... her only bread-winner, whatever happened!...

"Come on, Glass-Eye! Let's go for the bike! I don't care if I do play the
darky at Earl's Court!"

But, on reaching the Bijou, she could not restrain a cry. Nunkie had
spoken the truth; they were at work everywhere, unloading joists, running
up scaffoldings, attacking the theater from every side. Her friend, the
architect, passed, looking very busy, greeted her with a "Hullo, Lily!"
But Lily did not even see him.

"I hope our things are still in the dressing-room. Hurry up, Glass-Eye!"

And Lily ran along the passage, where already sacks of plaster had taken
the place of the velvet and nickel properties. She crossed the stage,
which was still untouched, took the dressing-room corridor and there,
almost before her door, met Jimmy! She felt like turning her back on him,
after spitting on the floor, as a mark of contempt; but, after all, no!
The coward! They'd see which of them should lower eyes first! And she
planted hers straight in his face, like a blow of the fist!

Jimmy, who was coming toward her, had a moment of hesitation ... but it
did not last. He soon recovered himself. It would have been obvious to any
one seeing that masterful face that here was a man cured of his love, a
strong man and sure of himself, a man whom a kid like Lily--Lily had
always remained a kid to him, and not Mrs. Trampy, not the wife of Trampy,
that thief in the night!--a man whom a kid like Lily could not have at her
b