They scrambled wildly for the door. Sid was the first in the street and helped the lady down from the high car-step, while John drew the tickets from his coat pocket and led the way to the brilliantly lighted theater lobby. Louise's eyes glistened with excitement as the trio stopped to look at the posters beside the doorway. "Martha, the Milliner's Girl," Sid read slowly from the huge letters at the top of the bulletin board. "Peach of a show," John commented, as they walked past the line of people waiting their turn at the box office. "Six folks killed, and shooting and everything. I asked the man when I bought the seats." A uniformed usher led them impressively to their places and presented them with programs. John stooped over his fiancee and helped her off with her coat as he leered at Sid. That gentleman leaned easily back in the upholstered theater chair. "Nice seats," he remarked with a touch of condescension. "A little near the stage [the words had been Mrs. DuPree's, once upon a time], but they'll do." "I like 'em," John snapped angrily. Louise acquiesced. Sid scowled and fell back upon the wild and woolly West as a means of maintaining the conversational upper hand. "Once I went hunting, last summer"--he began. John glanced at his watch. Ten minutes before the performance would begin; ten long, dragging minutes of Sid's talk about a place of which he knew nothing. Why had he brought his voluble rival along?--"hunting for bear," continued the narrator. "Lots of fun, Louise. One of the cowboys took me with him 'way up a mountain. We went into a big, dark forest with palms--" "Palms don't grow out West," John interrupted savagely. "Yes, they do." "Geogerfy says they don't." "This was a part the geogerfies don't know anything about," serenely. "Ever been out there?" "No," reluctantly. "Then keep quiet. _I have._ Well, there were the palms and--" Was there to be no respite from the steady flow? John suddenly remembered the candy, and reached for his overcoat. "Oh," exclaimed Louise, as the white, pink-stringed box was brought forth. Sid stopped, obviously disconcerted. John unwrapped the dainties and threw the paper on the floor. "Have some?" he asked as he lifted the cover. The lady's lips closed over a chocolate-covered caramel. Sid's did likewise. John helped himself to a third and leaned back happily. At last a way of silencing his adversary had been found. [Illustration: _Silencing his adversary._]