ly it was not unknown to her husband.

"Oh, of course," said Grayson, with a laugh, "that was Godolphin's way.
He may have felt all that he said; or he may have been trying to find
out what Mr. Maxwell thought, and whether he could count upon him in a
move against her."

"We said nothing," cried Louise, and she blessed heaven that she could
truly say so, "which could possibly be distorted into that."

"I didn't suppose you had," said the manager. "But now we have got to
act. We have got to do one of two things, and Godolphin knows it; we
have got to let Miss Havisham go, or we have got to let him go. For my
part I would much rather let him go. She is a finer artist every way,
and she is more important to the success of the piece. But it would be
more difficult to replace him than it would be to replace her, and he
knows it. We could get Miss Pettrell at once for Salome, and we should
have to look about for a Haxard. Still, I am disposed to drop Godolphin,
if Mr. Maxwell feels as I do."

He looked at Maxwell; but Louise lowered her eyes, and would not
influence her husband by so much as a glance. It seemed to her that he
was a long time answering.

"I am satisfied with Godolphin's Haxard much better than I am with Miss
Havisham's Salome, strong as it is. On the artistic side alone, I
should prefer to keep Godolphin and let her go, if it could be done
justly. Then, I know that Godolphin has made sacrifices and borne losses
on account of the play, and I think that he has a right to a share in
its success, if it has a chance of succeeding. He's jealous of Miss
Havisham, of course; I could see that from the first minute; but he's
earned the first place, and I'm not surprised he wants to keep it. I
shouldn't like to lose it if I were he. I should say that we ought to
make any concession he asks in that way."

"Very well," said Grayson. "He will ask to have our agreement with Mrs.
Harley broken; and we can say that we were compelled to break it. I feel
as you do, that he has some right on his side. She's a devilish
provoking woman--excuse me, Mrs. Maxwell!--and I've seen her trying to
take the centre from Godolphin ever since the rehearsals began; but I
don't like to be driven by him; still, there are worse things than being
driven. In any case we have to accept the inevitable, and it's only a
question of which inevitable we accept. Good-night. I will see Godolphin
at once. Good-night, Mrs. Maxwell. We shall expect you t