h cigarette fumes. Brent rose. Palmer laid a
detaining hand on his shoulder. "Do stay on, Brent, and go to
supper with us."

"I was about to ask you to supper with me. Have you been to
the Abbaye?"

"No. We haven't got round to that yet. Is it lively?"

"And the food's the best in Paris. You'll come?"

Brent was looking at Susan. Palmer, not yet educated in the
smaller--and important--refinements of politeness, did not
wait for her reply or think that she should be consulted.
"Certainly," said he. "On condition that you dine with us
tomorrow night."

"Very well," agreed Brent. And he excused himself to take
leave of his friends. "Just tell your chauffeur to go to the
Abbaye--he'll know," he said as he bowed over Susan's hand.
"I'll be waiting. I wish to be there ahead and make sure of
a table."

As the door of the box closed upon him Freddie burst out with
that enthusiasm we feel for one who is in a position to render
us good service and is showing a disposition to do so. "I've
known him for years," said he, "and he's the real thing. He
used to spend a lot of time in a saloon I used to keep in
Allen Street."

"Allen Street?" ejaculated Susan, shivering.

"I was twenty-two then. He used to want to study types, as he
called it. And I gathered in types for him--though really my
place was for the swell crooks and their ladies. How long ago
that seems--and how far away!"

"Another life," said Susan.

"That's a fact. This is my second time on earth. _Our_ second time.
I tell you it's fighting for a foothold that makes men and women
the wretches they are. Nowadays, I couldn't hurt a fly--could you?
But then you never were cruel. That's why you stayed down so long."

Susan smiled into the darkness of the auditorium--the curtain was
up, and they were talking in undertones. She said, as she smiled:

"I'll never go down and stay down for that reason again."

Her tone arrested his attention; but he could make nothing of
it or of her expression, though her face was clear enough in
the reflection from the footlights.

"Anyhow, Brent and I are old pals," continued he, "though we
haven't seen so much of each other since he made a hit with
the plays. He always used to predict I'd get to the top and
be respectable. Now that it's come true, he'll help me.
He'll introduce us, if we work it right."

"But we don't want that yet," protested Susan.

"You're ready and so am I," declared Palmer in