f
applicants. In a profession as overcrowded as the theatrical business
there are thirty applicants for every possible position, but still the
unsuccessful ones keep on "making the rounds" on the chance that sooner
or later they will be engaged.

Mr. Weldon's private reasons for wishing his outer office to be filled
at certain times possibly had something to do with the fact that on
these occasions certain smartly dressed, prosperous men called on
business and were instantly admitted to the inner office. Then the
stenographer, having had her cues, would drop some casual remark about
"The backer of the new show," whereupon the professionals would become
more alert at the prospect of "Something doing." Of course, conversely,
the mysterious "backers" were impressed by the stage setting of an outer
office of players looking for engagements from the great Mr. Weldon.

Contrary to the popular idea, based mainly on the comic weeklies,
theatrical backers or "angels" are comparatively rare. Therefore, Victor
Weldon's line of procedure since Mrs. Dainton had abruptly closed her
American tour because of the illness of her Pomeranian pup, had been
exceedingly uncertain. He had planned various productions on his own
account, and he had endeavored unsuccessfully to interest certain
financial gentlemen of the Wall Street district in the merits of two or
three plays he had read. One of them in particular, a simple little
comedy of peasant life in Germany, with two or three songs, had greatly
impressed him. It was of Viennese origin, skillfully translated and
adapted, but preserving the Viennese atmosphere and characters. Entitled
"The Village Girl," the central role was that of a peasant girl who fell
in love with a prince when the latter was hunting in disguise as a mere
woodsman. Afterwards, meeting him at the state ball face to face in his
gorgeous uniform, she, by renouncing her love for him because of his
rank and title, ultimately led the old Emperor to relent and give his
consent to their marriage.

"Good plot," murmured Weldon, after reading it in his private office.
"The old stuff like this always goes with the public. There's a plot
that must succeed, because it has never been known to fail. I can
produce this play and make a barrel of money if I can only find a
backer. I wonder if I couldn't rope Gordon in on this?"

Which explains why Sanford Gordon had already heard of the play at the
time he renewed his acquaintance w