2.
It is not only twin-souls in this world who yearn to meet each other.
Between Otis Pilkington and Mr Goble there was little in common, yet,
at the moment when Otis set out to find Mr Goble, the thing which Mr
Goble desired most in the world was an interview with Otis. Since the
end of the first act, the manager had been in a state of mental
upheaval. Reverting to the gold-mine simile again, Mr Goble was in
the position of a man who has had a chance of purchasing such a mine
and now, learning too late of the discovery of the reef, is feeling
the truth of the poet's dictum that of all sad words of tongue or pen
the saddest are these--"It might have been." The electric success of
"The Rose of America" had stunned Mr Goble: and, realizing, as he
did, that he might have bought Otis Pilkington's share dirt cheap at
almost any point of the preliminary tour, he was having a bad half
hour with himself. The only ray in the darkness which brooded on his
indomitable soul was the thought that it might still be possible, by
getting hold of Mr Pilkington before the notices appeared and shaking
his head sadly and talking about the misleading hopes which young
authors so often draw from an enthusiastic first-night reception and
impressing upon him that first-night receptions do not deceive your
expert who has been fifteen years in the show-business and mentioning
gloomily that he had heard a coupla the critics roastin' the show to
beat the band . . . by doing all these things, it might still be
possible to depress Mr Pilkington's young enthusiasm and induce him
to sell his share at a sacrifice price to a great-hearted friend who
didn't think the thing would run a week but was willing to buy as a
sporting speculation, because he thought Mr Pilkington a good kid and
after all these shows that flop in New York sometimes have a chance
on the road.
Such were the meditations of Mr Goble, and, on the final fall of the
curtain amid unrestrained enthusiasm on the part of the audience, he
had despatched messengers in all directions with instructions to find
Mr Pilkington and conduct him to the presence. Meanwhile, he waited
impatiently on the empty stage.
The sudden advent of Wally Mason, who appeared at this moment, upset
Mr Goble terribly. Wally was a factor in the situation which ho had
not considered. An infernal, tactless fellow, always trying to make
mischief and upset honest merchants, Wally, if present at the
interview with Otis Pilkington, would probably try to act in
restraint of trade and would blurt out some untimely truth about the
prospects of the piece. Not for the first time, Mr Goble wished Wally
a sudden stroke of apoplexy.
"Went well, eh?" said Wally amiably. He did not like Mr Goble, but on
the first night of a successful piece personal antipathies may be
sunk. Such was his effervescent good-humor at the moment that he was
prepared to treat Mr Goble as a man and a brother.
"H'm!" replied Mr Goble doubtfully, paving the way.
"What are you h'ming about?" demanded Wally, astonished. "The thing's
a riot."
"You never know," responded Mr Goble in the minor key.
"Well!" Wally stared. "I don't know what more you want. The audience
sat up on its hind legs and squealed, didn't they?"
"I've an idea," said Mr Goble, raising his voice as the long form of
Mr Pilkington crossed the stage towards them, "that the critics will
roast it. If you ask _me_," he went on loudly, "it's just the sort of
show the critics will pan the life out of. I've been fifteen years in
the . . ."
"Critics!" cried Wally. "Well, I've just been talking to Alexander of
the _Times_, and he said it was the best musical piece he had ever
seen and that all the other men he had talked to thought the same."
Mr Goble turned a distorted face to Mr Pilkington. He wished that
Wally would go. But Wally, he reflected bitterly, was one of those
men who never go. He faced Mr Pilkington and did the best he could.
"Of course it's got a _chance_," he said gloomily. "Any show has got
a _chance!_ But I don't know . . . I don't know . . ."
Mr Pilkington was not interested in the future prospects of "The Rose
of America." He had a favor to ask, and he wanted to ask it, have it
refused if possible, and get away. It occurred to him that, by
substituting for the asking of a favor a peremptory demand, he might
save himself a thousand dollars.
"I want the stage after the performance tomorrow night, for a supper
to the company," he said brusquely.
He was shocked to find Mr Goble immediately complaisant.
"Why, sure," said Mr Goble readily. "Go as far as you like!" He took
Mr Pilkington by the elbow and drew him up-stage, lowering his voice
to a confidential undertone. "And now, listen," he said, "I've
something I want to talk to you about. Between you and I and the
lamp-post, I don't think this show will last a month in New York. It
don't add up right! There's something all wrong about it."
Mr Pilkington assented with an emphasis which amazed the manager. "I
quite agree with you! If you had kept it the way it was originally . . ."
"Too late for that!" sighed Mr Goble, realizing that his star was in
the ascendant. He had forgotten for the moment that Mr Pilkington was
an author. "We must make the best of a bad job! Now, you're a good
kid and I wouldn't like you to go around town saying that I had let
you in. It isn't business, maybe, but, just because I don't want you
to have any kick coming, I'm ready to buy your share of the thing and
call it a deal. After all, it may get money on the road. It ain't
likely, but there's a chance, and I'm willing to take it. Well,
listen, I'm probably robbing myself, but I'll give you fifteen
thousand, if you want to sell."
A hated voice spoke at his elbow.
"I'll make you a better offer than that," said Wally. "Give me your
share of the show for three dollars in cash and I'll throw in a pair
of sock-suspenders and an Ingersoll. Is it a go?"
Mr Goble regarded him balefully.
"Who told you to butt in?" he enquired sourly.
"Conscience!" replied Wally. "Old Henry W. Conscience! I refuse to
stand by and see the slaughter of the innocents. Why don't you wait
till he's dead before you skin him!" He turned to Mr Pilkington.
"Don't you be a fool!" he said earnestly. "Can't you see the thing is
the biggest hit in years? Do you think Jesse James here would be
offering you a cent for your share if he didn't know there was a
fortune in it? Do you imagine . . . ?"
"It is immaterial to me," interrupted Otis Pilkington loftily, "what
Mr Goble offers. I have already sold my interest!"
"What!" cried Mr Goble.
"When?" cried Wally.
"I sold it half way through the road-tour," said Mr Pilkington, "to a
lawyer, acting on behalf of a client whose name I did not learn."
In the silence which followed this revelation, another voice spoke.
"I should like to speak to you for a moment, Mr Goble, if I may." It
was Jill, who had joined the group unperceived.
Mr Goble glowered at Jill, who met his gaze composedly.
"I'm busy!" snapped Mr Goble. "See me tomorrow!"
"I would prefer to see you now."
"You would prefer!" Mr Goble waved his hands despairingly, as if
calling on heaven to witness the persecution of a good man.
Jill exhibited a piece of paper stamped with the letter-heading of
the management.
"It's about this," she said. "I found it in the box as I was going
out."
"What's that?"
"It seems to be a fortnight's notice."
"And that," said Mr Goble, "is what it _is!_"
Wally uttered an exclamation.
"Do you mean to say . . . ?"
"Yes, I do!" said the manager, turning on him. He felt that he had
out-maneuvred Wally. "I agreed to let her open in New York, and she's
done it, hasn't she? Now she can get out. I don't want her. I
wouldn't have her if you paid me. She's a nuisance in the company,
always making trouble, and she can go."
"But I would prefer not to go," said Jill.
"You would prefer!" The phrase infuriated Mr Goble. "And what has
what you would prefer got to do with it?"
"Well, you see," said Jill, "I forgot to tell you before, but I own
the piece!"
