ce my shoes. But he knows
his business and he's on the level, which is more than you can say of
most of these guys in the show business."

"That's right," agreed the Southern girl's blonde friend. "He does
know his business. He's put over any amount of shows which would have
flopped like dogs without him to stage the numbers."

The duchess yawned. Rehearsing always bored her, and she had not been
greatly impressed by what she had seen of "The Rose of America."

"One will be greatly surprised if he can make a success of _this_
show! I confess I find it perfectly ridiculous."

"Ithn't it the limit, honetht!" said the cherub, arranging her golden
hair at the mirror. "It maketh me thick! Why on earth ith Ike putting
it on?"

The girl who knew everything--there is always one in every
company--hastened to explain.

"I heard all about that. Ike hasn't any of his own money in the thing.
He's getting twenty-five per cent of the show for running it. The
angel is the long fellow you see jumping around. Pilkington his name
is."

"Well, it'll need to be Rockefeller later on," said the blonde.

"Oh, they'll get thomebody down to fixth it after we've been out on
the road a couple of days," said the cherub, optimistically. "They
alwayth do. I've seen worse shows than this turned into hits. All it
wants ith a new book and lyrics and a different thcore."

"And a new set of principals," said the red-headed Babe. "Did you ever
see such a bunch?"

The duchess, with another tired sigh, arched her well-shaped eyebrows
and studied the effect in the mirror.

"One wonders where they pick these persons up," she assented
languidly. "They remind me of a headline I saw in the paper this
morning--'Tons of Hams Unfit for Human Consumption.' Are any of you
girls coming my way? I Can give two or three of you a lift in my
limousine."

"Thorry, old dear, and thanks ever so much," said the cherub, "but I
instructed Clarence, my man, to have the street-car waiting on the
corner, and he'll be too upset if I'm not there."

Nelly had an engagement to go and help one of the other girls buy a
Spring suit, a solemn rite which it is impossible to conduct by
oneself: and Jill and the cherub walked to the corner together. Jill
had become very fond of the little thing since rehearsals began. She
reminded her of a London sparrow. She was so small and perky and so
absurdly able to take care of herself.

"Limouthine!" snorted the cherub. The duchess'