"Have it your own way," he said. "It's no treat to _me_ to see his
eyes flash, and if he'd put that stern mouth of his to some better
use than advising the guv'nor to lock up the cigars and trouser the
key, I'd be better pleased. If there's one thing I can't stand,"
said Parker, "it's not to be trusted!" He lifted his cigar and
looked at it censoriously. "I thought so! Burning all down one side.
They will do that if you light 'em careless. Oh, well," he
continued, rising and going to the humidor, "there's plenty more
where that came from. Out of evil cometh good," said Parker
philosophically. "If the guv'nor hadn't been in such a overwrought
state tonight, he'd have remembered not to leave the key in the
key-hole. Help yourself to another glass of port, Ellen, and let's
enjoy ourselves!"


2.

When one considers how full of his own troubles, how weighed down
with the problems of his own existence the average playgoer generally
is when he enters a theatre, it is remarkable that dramatists ever
find it possible to divert and entertain whole audiences for a space
of several hours. As regards at least three of those who had
assembled to witness its opening performance, the author of "Tried by
Fire," at the Leicester Theater, undoubtedly had his work cut out for
him.

It has perhaps been sufficiently indicated by the remarks of Parker,
the valet, that the little dinner at Freddie Rooke's had not been an
unqualified success. Searching the records for an adequately gloomy