"Wanda Malone."

Potter had never heard it until that moment, but his expression
showed that he considered it another outrage.






IV


The rehearsal proceeded, and under that cover old Tinker came
noiselessly down the aisle and resumed his seat beside Canby,
who was uttering short, broken sighs, and appeared to have been
trying with fair success to give himself a shampoo.

"It's ruined, Mr. Tinker!" he moaned, and his accompanying
gesture was misleading, seeming to indicate that he alluded to
his hair. "It's all ruined if he sticks to these horrible lines
he's put in--people told me I ought to have it in my contract
that nothing could be changed. I was trying to make the audience
see the tragedy of egoism in my play--and how people get to
hating an egoist. I made 'Roderick Hanscom' a disagreeable
character on purpose, and--oh, listen to that!"

Miss Ellsling and Talbot Potter stood alone, near the front of
the stage. "Why do you waste such goodness on me, Roderick?"