talk too damn much!" said Mr. Goble, eyeing him with distaste.

"Well, go on, _you_ say something. Something sensible."

"It is a very serious situation...." began the stage-director.

"Oh, shut up!" said Mr. Goble.

The stage-director subsided into his collar.

"I cannot play the overture again," protested Mr. Saltzburg. "I
cannot!"

At this point Mr. Miller appeared. He was glad to see Mr. Goble. He
had been looking for him, for he had news to impart.

"The girls," said Mr. Miller, "have struck! They won't go on!"

Mr. Goble, with the despairing gesture of one who realizes the
impotence of words, dashed off for his favourite walk up stage. Wally
took out his watch.

"Six seconds and a bit," he said approvingly, as the manager returned.
"A very good performance. I should like to time you over the course in
running-kit."

The interval for reflection, brief as it had been, had apparently
enabled Mr. Goble to come to a decision.

"Go," he said to the stage-director, "and tell 'em that fool of a
D'Arcy girl can play. We've got to get that curtain up."

"Yes, Mr. Goble."

The stage-director galloped off.

"Get back to your place," said the manager to Mr. Saltzburg, "and play
the overture again."

"Again!"

"Perhaps they didn't hear it the first two times," said Wally.

Mr. Goble watched Mr. Saltzburg out of sight. Then he turned to Wally.

"That damned Mariner girl was at the bottom of this! She started the
whole thing! She told me so. Well, I'll settle _her_! She goes
to-morrow!"

"Wait a minute," said Wally. "Wait one minute! Bright as it is, that
idea is _out_!"

"What the devil has it got to do with you?"

"Only this, that if you fire Miss Mariner, I take that neat script
which I've prepared and I tear it into a thousand fragments. Or nine
hundred. Anyway, I tear it. Miss Mariner opens in New York, or I pack
up my work and leave."

Mr. Goble's green eyes glowed.

"Oh, you're stuck on her, are you?" he sneered. "I see!"

"Listen, dear heart," said Wally, gripping the manager's arm, "I can
see that you are on the verge of introducing personalities into this
very pleasant little chat. Resist the impulse! Why not let your spine
stay where it is instead of having it kicked up through your hat? Keep
to the main issue. Does Miss Mariner open in New York or does she
not?"

There was a tense silence. Mr. Goble permitted himself a swift review
of his position. He would have liked to do many thing