In front of the shop was a group of half-grown boys. "Got a ticket, Mister?" said one of them, holding the green pasteboard card to Lucian. Lucian, who was really an amiable youth, had quickly recovered from his annoyance with Martine, and would not gratify Robert by showing vexation that the latter had been more successful in finding the hall. He suspected the truth--that Martine had helped Robert, and since they were now at the hall, what did it matter? "Got a ticket, Mister?" A second boy held out his hand to Lucian. "Of course, that's why we're here," replied Lucian. "Are you selling them?" "No, we're giving them away. We want an aujence," was the astonishing response. "What _does_ he mean?" "We'll soon know, Martine," said Priscilla, following the two others up a long flight of dimly-lit stairs. "Did you ever?" Martine gazed around the hall as they entered; "there are not ten people here." "Just thirty." Priscilla was nothing if not accurate. "But I thought Angelina said she had sold two hundred tickets, Martine." "Expected to sell them, Lucian, though, to tell the truth, I thought she _had_ sold them." "I'll wager she gave away half the seats that are occupied now. Those are Portuguese faces down in the front." "I paid for mine." "I know that, Martine. You always had a foolish habit of getting rid of your allowance almost as soon as you received it." "That reminds me," asked Robert, "is this a charitable performance? It would have been more charitable to let us stay quietly in our rooms. Just think what a fine four hours of study Lucian and I could have put in this evening." "Yes, you are so apt to study Saturday evening," interposed Martine; "but to answer your question, I can't say that this is wholly charitable. Part of it is for a girls' club over here--I mean part of the profits--and the rest--" "Here's a poster," interrupted Lucian; "let's see what it says." "It's easy enough to read. It must have been meant for bill-board decoration. Big black letters on green paper. Listen!" and after reading aloud place and date, Lucian continued: MISS ANGELINA ROSA THE EMINENT MONOLOGUIST, WILL GIVE ONE OF HER CHOICE RECITALS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GIRLS' EXCELSIOR CLUB AND A HALF-ORPHAN "A half-orphan!" shouted Robert. "What in the world--?" "Why, she means herself, of course; her father is dead." "Oh, I see!" and then, after the fashion of young people, the four began to giggle. "Hush! the audience will be disturbed." Priscilla was the first to recover herself. "What audience?" asked Martine, looking around the almost empty hall. "It's fifteen minutes past eight." Lucian closed his watch with a snap. "There's something happening. I wonder what it is. Two or three of those foreigners have gone behind the curtain."