ase and gave her one, looking gravely at her. There
was something behind this, he thought, but what it was he could not
guess.

"I won't worry you any more," he said quietly. "I'd have liked to book
you for that tour, but I guess you know best. You've had a tiring
season--long runs are the very deuce, though they pay the manager. You
take that rest you talk of and make it a good one. But let me know when
you feel like getting to work again."

"Thanks, Ashford," said Beatrice, smoking quickly. "You're a good sort.
But, honestly, I'm thinking of giving up the stage altogether. I'm
getting sick of it."

Billing, who had had the kudos of giving Beatrice her first chance, felt
his heart sink. But, realizing that this was not the time to urge mature
reflection, he held his peace. Beatrice talked idly a few minutes,
trying to appear natural, but the effort was great.

"Where are you going for a holiday?" she asked.

"Flying," he answered. "Across the channel, perhaps. I've never done it
yet."

"What a queer boy you are," she said, looking at him fixedly. "What on
earth made you take to the aeroplane?"

"Why on earth did I take to the sky?" he laughed. "I did it to advertise
my first production over here. It was the right goods, too, for every
one talked about the actor-manager-air-man. When I found how exciting it
was, I couldn't stop. That's all."

"You're odd creatures, you men," said Beatrice, musing. "I should have
thought that managing theaters was exciting enough."

"Change of excitement--just like falling in love with a new sweetheart,"
he smiled.

"Ah! that sounds like a man! Tell me, Ashford, do all men run after
every pretty face they see?"

"You want me to give away trade secrets, eh? Well, I suppose most men
do ... until they're hooked."

"Ashford! _Hooked!_ How loathsome!"

"I beg your pardon ... I was thinking as a cynical bachelor. What I mean
is that I suppose most men swear off the pursuit once they've promised."

"And never relapse?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"The decent ones don't, but even they sometimes have a bit of a
struggle. Take an extreme case: suppose a decent chap gets engaged, and
force of circumstances keeps him apart from his divinity for ...
years...."

"He ought to feel bound in honor not even to think of another!" flashed
Beatrice.

Billing sighed.

"He ought, but he's up against a tough proposition. At least, the decent
one tries...."

"Men are horrible," she