Part 20 (2/2)

”Cold?” said Gerald. ”I'll tell the man to drive back... I don't see any reason why this play shouldn't run a year in New York. Everybody says it's good... if it does get over, they'll all be after me. I...”

Sally stared out into a bleak world. The sky was a leaden grey, and the wind from the river blew with a dismal chill.

CHAPTER VIII. REAPPEARANCE OF MR. CARMYLE--AND GINGER

1

When Sally left Detroit on the following Sat.u.r.day, accompanied by Fillmore, who was returning to the metropolis for a few days in order to secure offices and generally make his presence felt along Broadway, her spirits had completely recovered. She felt guiltily that she had been fanciful, even morbid. Naturally men wanted to get on in the world.

It was their job. She told herself that she was bound up with Gerald's success, and that the last thing of which she ought to complain was the energy he put into efforts of which she as well as he would reap the reward.

To this happier frame of mind the excitement of the last few days had contributed. Detroit, that city of amiable audiences, had liked ”The Primrose Way.” The theatre, in fulfilment of Teddy's prophecy, had been allowed to open on the Tuesday, and a full house, hungry for entertainment after its enforced abstinence, had welcomed the play wholeheartedly. The papers, not always in agreement with the applause of a first-night audience, had on this occasion endorsed the verdict, with agreeable unanimity hailing Gerald as the coming author and Elsa Doland as the coming star. There had even been a brief mention of Fillmore as the coming manager. But there is always some trifle that jars in our greatest moments, and Fillmore's triumph had been almost spoilt by the fact that the only notice taken of Gladys Winch was by the critic who printed her name--spelt Wunch--in the list of those whom the cast ”also included.”

”One of the greatest character actresses on the stage,” said Fillmore bitterly, talking over this outrage with Sally on the morning after the production.

From this blow, however, his buoyant nature had soon enabled him to rally. Life contained so much that was bright that it would have been churlish to concentrate the attention on the one dark spot. Business had been excellent all through the week. Elsa Doland had got better at every performance. The receipt of a long and agitated telegram from Mr.

Cracknell, pleading to be allowed to buy the piece back, the pa.s.sage of time having apparently softened Miss Hobson, was a pleasant incident.

And, best of all, the great Ike Schumann, who owned half the theatres in New York and had been in Detroit superintending one of his musical productions, had looked in one evening and stamped ”The Primrose Way”

with the seal of his approval. As Fillmore sat opposite Sally on the train, he radiated contentment and importance.

”Yes, do,” said Sally, breaking a long silence.

Fillmore awoke from happy dreams.

”Eh?”

”I said 'Yes, do.' I think you owe it to your position.”

”Do what?”

”Buy a fur coat. Wasn't that what you were meditating about?”

”Don't be a chump,” said Fillmore, blus.h.i.+ng nevertheless. It was true that once or twice during the past week he had toyed negligently, as Mr. Bunbury would have said, with the notion, and why not? A fellow must keep warm.

”With an astrakhan collar,” insisted Sally.

”As a matter of fact,” said Fillmore loftily, his great soul ill-attuned to this badinage, ”what I was really thinking about at the moment was something Ike said.”

”Ike?”

”Ike Schumann. He's on the train. I met him just now.”

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