covery soon followed that the stage manager was worse than the
conductor, and that, when Cleo once lost her head, which she did very
easily at rehearsals, she became almost hysteric. She was, however,
always ready to explain away her exhibitions of temper, saying that
the stupidity of the players and the worry of making things go right
were trying beyond human endurance. Which explanation he had perforce
to accept.

It was in apprehension of witnessing her outbreaks that he dared not
stay at the theatre during rehearsal hours for more than a few minutes
at a time. He could not help knowing, however, lounging about the
house as he did, that Cleo was disliked by all the company, she and
the stage manager being bracketed together as a pair of bullies. He
was aware he himself was better liked, for he got on very well indeed
with a couple of the men and thought them "very decent fellows."
Though their poverty forced them to borrow occasional half-crowns of
him, that only made him sympathise with them the more.

Morgan himself would have been puzzled to tell what difference the new
light in which Cleo was showing herself was making in his attitude
towards her. Her personality, taken as a whole, remained fully as
wonderful and impressive for him as before, and in the hours of her
calm he could scarcely believe he had ever seen her worked up into
such tense, nervous states. At such times there seemed possibilities
of indulgent explanation, for in all else she was living up to his
conception and to his expectations of her. His faith in her genius was
unshaken. Nothing had occurred to make him doubt the glorious
successes to come. Yet were the shortcomings she had so far displayed
distinct and tormenting drawbacks to the enthusiasm with which he had
begun.

CHAPTER III.

The frenzy of activity grew greater as the time of opening approached.
The three weeks allotted for the rehearsal swept by for Morgan in
tempestuous flight--an impression which he got from watching the
feverish evolutions of his Cleo. He found himself, too, drawn into
London night life, assisting at restaurant supper parties and sitting
down with men in evening dress who affected cloaks and crush hats, and
who were scarcely names to him. Cleo presided, sometimes as hostess,
sometimes as guest; Morgan, who figured as "my husband," having the
feeling that the others were just civilly tolerant to him. As for
himself, he was inclined to be taciturn, bein