ladiator. It'll be a gentlemen's race."

"Aren't we gentlemen?" growled a professional turfsman.

"Gad! it's the first time I ever heard a jockey pretend to be one!"
chuckled the first speaker. "What do you say, Mauville?"

"What do I say?" repeated the land baron, striving to collect his
thoughts. "What--why, I'll make it an even thousand, if you ride your
own horse, you'll--"

"Win?" interrupted the proud owner.

"No; fall off before he's at the second quarter!"

"Done!" said the man, immediately.

"Huzza!" shouted the crowd.

"That's the way they bet on a gentlemen's race!" jeered the gleeful
jockey.

"Drinks on Gladiator!" exclaimed some one. And as no southern
gentleman was ever known to refuse to drink to a horse or a woman, the
party carried the discussion to the bar-room.

BOOK III

THE FINAL CUE

CHAPTER I

OVERLOOKING THE COURT-YARD

"In the will of the Marquis de Ligne, probated yesterday, all of the
property, real and personal, is left to his daughter, Constance,"
wrote Straws in his paper shortly after the passing of the French
nobleman. "The document states this disposition of property is made as
'an act of atonement and justice to my daughter, whose mother I
deserted, taking advantage of the French law to annul my marriage in
England.' The legitimacy of the birth of this, his only child, is
thereupon fully acknowledged by the marquis after a lapse of many
years and long after the heretofore unrecognized wife had died,
deserted and forgotten. Thrown on her own resources, the young child,
with no other friend than Manager Barnes, battled with the world; now
playing in taverns or barns, like the players of interludes, the
strollers of old, or 'vagabonds', as the great and mighty Junius, from
his lofty plane, termed them. The story of that period of 'vagrant'
life adds one more chapter to the annals of strolling players which
already include such names as Kemble, Siddons and Kean.

"From the Junius category to a public favorite of New Orleans has been
no slight transition, and now, to appear in the role of daughter of a
marquis and heiress to a considerable estate--truly man--and
woman--play many parts in this brief span called life! But in making
her sole heir the marquis specifies a condition which will bring
regrets to many of the admirers of the actress. He robs her of her
birthright from her mother. The will stipulates that the recipient
give up her profession, not beca