opinion. My voice has failed
me utterly."

"And yet--and yet--you understand how it is. We must open on time."

"Yes, I know. The show must go on--the show must go on."'

"And the only way----"

"Is to replace me. I know. You can't help it, Mr. Cross. I know just
how it is. It isn't your fault--it's my misfortune. I thank you for
your patience. You'll have to--to replace me. It's the only thing to
do. And yet," he added so softly that the manager did not hear "what
am I to do? What are my daughters to do?"

CHAPTER VI

A NEW PROPOSITION

There was no need for Ruth and Alice to ask their father what had
happened. One look at his ashen face when he came home from the
theater was enough.

"Oh, Daddy!" cried Alice. "Couldn't you make it go?"

He answered with a shake of the head. The strain of the rehearsal had
pained him.

"Did--did they put in someone else?" asked Ruth.

"Yes, I'm out of it for good--at least for this engagement."

"The mean things!" burst out Alice "I think that Mr. Cross is rightly
named. I wish I could tell him so, too!"

"Alice!" reproved Ruth, gently.

"I don't care!" cried the younger girl, her brown eyes sparkling.
"The idea of not waiting a few days with their show until papa was
better; and he the leading man, too."

"They couldn't wait, Alice, my dear," explained Mr. DeVere. "Cross
did all he could for me, and allowed me two days. But it is out of
the question. Dr. Rathby was right. I need a long rest--and I guess
I'll have to take it whether I want to or not."

Then, seeing the anxious looks on the faces of his daughters, he went
on, in more cheerful, though in no less husky tones:

"Now don't worry, girls. There'll be some way out of this. If I can't
act I can do something else. I'm well and strong, for which I must be
thankful. I'm not ill and, aside from my voice, nothing is the
matter. I'll look for a place doing something else beside stage work,
until my voice is restored. Then I'll take up my profession again.
Come, there is nothing to worry about."

There was--a-plenty; but he chose to ignore it for the time being. He
knew, as well as did the girls, that there was little money left, and
that pressing bills must soon be met. Added to them, now, would be
one from the physician and Mr. DeVere would need more medical
attention.

"I'm going to start out, the first thing in the morning, and look for
a place," went on the actor.

"Oh, but you must be careful