stage. In an instant Handy was on his knees beside him. So was Smith,
and before any one could realize the situation, the bottle of red ink in
his hand had dexterously performed its office over the mouth of the
prostrate actor.

Bending over him, Handy whispered: "Keep still! and act out your fit and
I'll pull you through." Then addressing those about him, he said: "Will
some one of you gentlemen kindly fetch a glass of ice water and a little
brandy? This is a bad case, I'm afraid. A serious affair. Send for a
carriage. He must be removed to his house at once and a doctor called
in. Poor fellow, the strain was too much for him. Ah, and by the way,
will one of the gentlemen be good enough to go out in front of the
curtain and explain to the audience the sad mishap which has befallen
our esteemed friend? Please break it mildly in the announcement. The
chances are it won't prove fatal, but I'm no doctor, so my say don't go
for much. Poor old chap!"

It was not without difficulty that the man who volunteered to quell the
storm in front could get a hearing from the audience. At last he
succeeded, and after he explained the suddenness and severity of the
attack, the storm subsided and the people went quietly out.

On the stage poor Fogg lay stretched out, Handy supporting his head. He
was a sight. His mouth was liberally marked with Smith's home-made
blood, for the carmine had been generously though dexterously employed.
Everyone expressed sympathy for him. Handy, with the assistance of
Smith, succeeded in getting him to his feet and managed to get him to
the stage door in his _Melnotte_ garb. Mrs. Doolittle's carriage was
outside waiting, and he was assisted into it. As Handy was about to
follow, Fogg leaned over and whispered in his ear: "For the Lord sake,
Handy, bring my street clothes from the dressing-room, or I'll never be
able to leave the house." Handy pressed his hand, Smith went after the
clothes, and the three then drove to Fogg's home, and the carriage
returned to the theatre for the lady chairman.

"Well," said Handy, when within the safety of the star's quarters, "I've
played many parts in my varied career, but this one is the limit. It
beats the deck. Fogg, you will have to keep the house for a week, at
least; then go and rusticate for another week, but above all things, for
heaven's sake don't recover too hastily!"

"Oh, bless my soul!" remarked Fogg, as he surveyed himself in the
mirror, "you have rui