rwise I should not have consented to it. But, as I
say, I doubt very much its success."

"Well--we can only try. You will remember what I said about the lights,
and the call for a doctor, if one appears to be needed."

"Yes. I have all that in mind. Miss Morton is not coming to-night, I
presume."

"No. I advised against it."

"I'm glad of that."

Duvall sat in silence for a moment.

"By the way," he said presently. "There is one important matter that I
have overlooked. Do you give your employees passes for these opening
performances?"

"No--not regularly, that is. But any member of our organization who
wishes to see the performance would of course be admitted. We reserve a
section of the house for that purpose. A number of our people usually
come over."

"Good! That's just what I had hoped for. Where is this section?"

"The last five rows on the left-hand side of the house. But why?"

"Don't you see? All the evidence points to the fact that the person who
is responsible for these threats either works in your studio, or is in
some way able to gain access to it at any time. Witness the stolen
photograph--the substituted telegram of this morning. In the latter it
was definitely stated that the woman in the case would be in the
audience to-night. I am hoping sincerely that she will not have the
cleverness to enter as one of the public, but will come in as one of
your people, and sit in the section of the house reserved exclusively
for your employees. In that event, I think we shall discover who she is
beyond a doubt."

"I certainly hope so," sighed Mr. Baker. "This thing has got us all up
in the air. Our President had a long conference with me this afternoon
about Miss Morton. He seems to think she is going to pieces, and
recommended trying to get Joan Clayton away from the Multigraph people
to take her place. He says that she is losing her good looks. I told him
nothing, of course, but it worried me a lot. I am very fond of Ruth
Morton, and I don't want to see her lose her place."

"She won't lose it," asserted Duvall. "When we get through, her position
with your company will be stronger than it has ever been before. Shall
we go out in the lobby and take a look at the crowd as it comes in?"

Mr. Baker assented, and the two men stationed themselves near the box
office.

Without appearing to do so, Duvall inspected the various members of the
incoming crowd. His scrutiny was careful, comprehensive, but the o