Potter burst into terrible laughter. "All sawdust! That's why I
discharged her this afternoon."

"You what?" Canby shouted incredulously.

"I dismissed her from my company," said Potter with a startling
change to icy calmness. "I dismissed her from my company this
afternoon."

Old Tinker leaned forward. "You didn't!"

Potter's iciness increased. "Shall I repeat it? I was obliged to
dismiss Miss Wanda Malone from my company, this afternoon, after
rehearsal."

"Why?" Canby gasped.

"Because," said Potter, with the same calmness, "she has an
utterly commonplace mind."

Canby rose in agitation, quite unable, for that moment, to
speak; but Tinker, still leaning forward, gazing intently at the
face of the actor, made a low, long-drawn sound of wonder and
affirmation, the slow exclamation of a man comprehending what
amazes him. "So that's it!"

"Besides being intensely ordinary," said Potter, with
superiority, "I discovered that she is deceitful. That had
nothing whatever to do with my decision to leave the stage." He
whirled upon Tinker suddenly, and shouted: "No matter what you