"You will undertake to fill the house to-night, in spite of the disadvantages under which we are laboring?" "The 'Standing Room Only' sign will be displayed before eight o'clock." "Well, what is your scheme?" "You will agree to follow my suggestions?" "Not until I hear them." "If you don't like them you will agree not to repeat anything I may say to you?" "Certainly." "Then I'll give you my idea. I see you are getting ready to guy me, sir," as a rather cynical smile appeared upon the manager's face. "Oh, no." "You don't think I can knock out such a strong opposition as the 'Crack of Doom' Company, do you?" "I do not." "Well, I'll show you that I can, and get you not only a full house, but the elite of the place." "Well, well," interrupted Mr. Wattles, impatiently, "have done with preliminaries and let me know how you propose to accomplish all this." CHAPTER III. AL'S SCHEME. "Mr. Wattles," said Al, in a low tone, "I suppose you have in your time met a few stage-struck amateurs--people who thought they knew it all, and only needed a chance to show the world that they were the equal of anyone who ever trod the boards?" The manager laughed. "I should say yes. The woods are full of them." "Well, we have one here." "Only one?" "There are others, but one whom it will be worth your while to know." "Who is she?--for it is a woman, of course." "Yes, sir, it is a woman; she is the wife of the mayor." "The wife of the mayor of Boomville stage-struck?" "In the worst way, Mr. Wattles; she believes herself the only legitimate successor of Charlotte Cushman." "They all do. Well, what has all this to do with your scheme?" "A good deal. Mrs. Anderson--that is her name--is very anxious to appear on the professional stage." "Of course." "Why can't you give her a chance?" "Eh? I? How?" "Send her word that one of your actresses has been taken suddenly ill, and ask her to take her place. She'll do it, take my word for that, and all Boomville will go to see her." "Well, you must be crazy, young man," said Mr. Wattles, in a tone of disgust. "So that is your scheme, is it?" "That is part of it." "Well, it won't work." "Why not?" "For a dozen reasons. If I had two or three weeks to work up the thing it would be different; then it would, perhaps, be a good scheme. But you seem to forget that the performance takes place to-night." "There's plenty of time to work up business," said Al, calmly. "It is not ten o'clock yet. See Mrs. Anderson, get her consent to play, and I'll prove my executive ability by doing all the rest." "But, good gracious! how could the woman memorize a part between this and night?" "Give her a short part--any old part. Two or three lines will do. What she wants is a chance to show herself on the professional stage."