he went on, "nobody could have done you
up."

She could not gather herself together for speech.

"Didn't you know your voice wasn't reliable when you came to me?"

"Yes," she admitted.

"And wasn't that the REAL reason you had given up grand opera?" pursued
he mercilessly.

"The reason was what I told you--lack of money," replied she. "I did
not go into the reason why I lacked money. Why should I when, even on
my worst days, I could get through all my part in a musical
comedy--except songs that could be cut down or cut out? If I could
have made good at acting, would you have given me up on account of my
voice?"

"Not if you had been good enough," he admitted.

"Then I did not get my engagement on false pretenses?"

"No. You are right. Still, your fall-down as a singer is the
important fact. Don't lose sight of it."

"I shan't," said she tersely.

His eyes were frankly laughing. "As to Ransdell--what a clever trick!
He's a remarkable man. If he weren't so shrewd in those little ways,
he might have been a great man. Same old story--just a little too
smart, and so always doing the little thing and missing the big thing.
Yes, he went gunning for you--and got you." He dropped into his chair.
He thought a moment, laughed aloud, went on: "No doubt he has worked
that same trick many a time. I've suspected it once or twice, but this
time he fooled me. He got you, Miss Gower, and I can do nothing. You
must see that I can't look after details. And I can't give up as
invaluable a man as Ransdell. If I put you back, he'd put you
out--would make the piece fail rather than let you succeed."

Mildred was gazing somberly at the floor.

"It's hard lines--devilish hard lines," he went on sympathetically.
"But what can I do?"

"What can I do?" said Mildred.

"Do as all people do who succeed--meet the conditions."

"I'm not prepared to go as far as that, at least not yet," said she
with bitter sarcasm. "Perhaps when I'm actually starving and in rags--"

"A very distressing future," interrupted Crossley. "But--I didn't make
the world. Don't berate me. Be sensible--and be honest, Miss Gower,
and tell me--how could I possibly protect you and continue to give
successful shows? If you can suggest any feasible way, I'll take it."

"No, there isn't any way," replied she, rising to go.

He rose to escort her to the hall door. "Personally, the Ransdell sort
of thing is--distasteful to me. Perhaps if I were