The night before the performance they rehearsed until two in the morning. They were all to spend the day of the great event in rest. Jerry slept until early afternoon, then walked to the club to look over the ballroom for the last time. It was extremely beautiful, and he felt satisfied with it. At the top of a wide sweep of stairs a circular window showed blue, star-specked night beyond. It was against this background that the groups were to assemble. The effect of the costumes against the blue-black of the sky proved very successful. It seemed to Jerry as he went out onto the street again that this pageant had absorbed his whole life, that he had thought in Biblical terms and planned for this all his days. He realized that new currents were astir in him, that new people were crowding in. To-morrow he must take stock of the whole experience, mark where he was going. He walked past Bobs's door, on his way to his own, and rapped. She called out and he went in. She was lying on a couch. "What's up; anything?" "I was knocked down by an automobile, that's all." "What? How did it happen?" She explained the accident, how she had refused to go to a hospital, and how some nice, strange man had carried her home and gone for the doctor. He, on his arrival, had ordered perfect quiet, said there was no real damage done, except to nerves. She raged at the idea of being interrupted in her work, and to comfort her Jerry suggested that he have dinner sent in for both of them, from a near-by café. "Jane is here to take care of me, but you can have dinner with us." "All right, if you'll have it soon. I've got to get into my leopard skin and get down there early." "Go tell Jane." He discovered her in the kitchenette, and delivered the message. She nodded. Jerry entertained the invalid until Jane appeared with food; then he hurried off to dress, promising to return later and display himself as David. In half an hour the door burst open unceremoniously and Jerry came in. Both women exclaimed. He was David, the goatherd, clad in a skin, carrying his sling. His splendid body was revealed and led up to the boyish beauty of his head. He had let his hair grow a trifle long for the occasion, so that it curled as softly as a Greek god's. The way his head rose from his shoulders was thrilling. But this impression of splendid youth was dimmed by his evident distress. "This damned thing will be the end of me yet!" he cried. "The girl who was to be Salome has failed us." "Jerry! What a shame!" "Her mother is dangerously ill. Mrs. Brendon has just telephoned. She is trying to get a professional dancer. We've got to have _somebody_ there. They're sending the costume here. Bobs, _you_ could do it." "Jerry, I can't stand up." "Oh, Lord, there's Jinny. I'll get her." He was gone only a moment. "Nobody there," he groaned. "They've gone out to dinner," Jane said.