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mediately after, to my surprise, came the whole cast of “The Leopard’s Spots.”

I looked my astonishment at Ike.

“Just what do you think you’re going to do, Ike?” I asked, and he smiled at me a trifle wryly.

“I think I’m going to rehearse ‘The Leopard’s Spots,’” he offered. “Have you any objections?”

“Me?” I said. “No . . . but there’s some one else who may have, don’t you think?”

He took me over to one side of the stage.

“Listen, Steve,” he said. “It’s like this; I have a lease on this theater, and whether I have a play in it or not, she costs me four thousand each and every week. I’d put another play into it, if I had one ready . . . but I haven’t. ‘The Leopard’s Spots’ looks like a big success, and with—”

“I know, Ike,” I remonstrated. “But who do you think would play Arnold’s part, after what happened last night?”

“Well, that’s the funny part, you know,” he said. “You know, Arnold had an understudy . . . every star has, of course. Wallace Cunningham . . . a good actor, too. He’s had the part of the butler, and been understudy to Arnold. Well, he came to me this morning, and made the proposition. I’ve spoken to every member of the cast, and they like the play, and are willing to take a chance. We can get ready to open tomorrow night, and with the publicity we’ve