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“If I resigned from the cast, Mr. Humbert, I think you wouldn’t have much trouble,” she suggested. “I guess a rest wouldn’t do me much harm, after these last two openings.”

“Why, what do you mean, Betty? This play is the best opportunity you ever had, isn’t it?”

“It certainly is—or rather, was, Mr. Humbert,” came back Betty. “But you saw those letters I got—they were in the paper, anyway. This man—or thing —or whatever it is, is only doing this because I am in the cast. He has nothing against anyone else here—that is, nothing personal, just as soon as I get out. There’s no reason for your losing such a good property—”

“No,” Ike Humbert shook his head decidedly. “I know when I have enough, and if I had known that these things were going to happen I would have had enough before I ever started on this. I’m through with the play. If any other manager wants to take a chance on it, he’s welcome, with my compliments and best regards, no? I’m not a man who'll stand in the way of anybody putting over a success—if I’m through with it myself.”

“I think you're right, Ike,” I said. “You had better leave things as they are, for the present.”

“This always was a hard luck theater,” came the voice of Bill Warrington, who played the grandfather, and could remember when Booth tore his hair and