im, as if they thought him a stern, or neglectful father! He shut
his eyes, and seemed to see once more the smile of the goblin woman, and
then the fiery gaze of Mrs. Mansfield.

"How could she say it? But I don't know that I mind!"

"Minding things doesn't help any in a place like New York."

"But will they believe it?"

"If they do half of them will think you worth while."

"Yes, but the other half?"

"As long as you get there it's all right."

The cab stopped at the stage door of Crayford's opera house.

As they went in two or three journalists spoke to them, asking for
information about the libretto. Claude hurried on as if he did not hear
them. His usual almost eager amiability of manner with strangers had
deserted him this evening. But Charmian and Alston Lake spoke to the
pressmen, and Alston's whole-hearted laugh rang out. Claude heard it and
envied Alston.

From a room on the right of the entrance a very dark young man came
carrying some letters.

"More letters!" he said to Claude, with a smile.

"Oh, thank you."

"They're all on the stage. The locusts will be real fine when they fix
them right. We have folks inquiring about them all the time. Nothing
like that in the Sennier opera."

He smiled again with pleasant boyishness. Claude longed to take him by
the shoulders and say to him:

"It isn't a swarm of locusts that will make an opera!" But he only
nodded and remarked:

"All the better for us!"

Then hastily he opened his letters. Three were from autograph hunters,
and he thrust them into the pocket of his coat. The fourth was from
Armand Gillier. When Claude saw the name of his collaborator he stood
still and read the note frowning.

"Letters! Always letters!" said Charmian, coming up. "Anything
interesting, Claudie?"

"Gillier is coming out after all."

"Armand Gillier!"

"Yes. Or--he arrived to-day, I expect, though this was posted in France.
What day does the _Philadelphia_--"

"This morning," said Alston.

"Then he's here."

Charmian looked disgusted.

"It's bad taste on his part. After his horrible efforts to ruin the
opera he ought to have kept away."

"What does it matter?" said Claude.

"He'll be interviewed on the libretto," said Alston. "Gee knows what
he'll say, the beast!"

"If he backs up Madame Sennier in her libelous remarks it will be
proclaiming that he can be bribed," exclaimed Charmian.

"I suppose he's bound to throw in his lot with us," added Alston