Eight months had passed since I last saw her, and I gazed on her with aching eagerness. It was a cold day, and she was warmly dressed; and the only change I could discern in her was that she appeared to have grown more beautiful. What pain and pleasure I felt as I heard her voice once more, fresh and sweet as ever, and saw the old familiar action of her hands, I cannot describe. 'Steady, my son, steady,' whispered old Mac warningly. I controlled myself, without being aware what I had done to excite this remonstrance. 'When does she appear?' I asked in the same low tone. 'Next Monday week.' 'In her own name?' 'No; she has taken the name of Mathews. You will see the announcements outside the theatre. There's a good deal of curiosity excited about her already, for she plays an ambitious character; she commences at the top instead of at the bottom of the ladder. I should have liked her to begin a little lower down, or to have appeared in the provinces first. There's one great thing in her favour, though. She plays in a new piece, and can't be compared to other and more experienced actresses in the same character. There's somebody you know.' He referred to Mr. Glover, whom I had seen before he had, and who, standing at the side wings, appeared to be on familiar terms with all the company; but I knew the lodestone which had drawn him there. When I first caught sight of him Jessie was engaged in a scene; presently she was free for a time, and then he approached her, and they talked together. 'Mac,' I said, in a whisper, 'I think you are a friend of mine.' 'I am proud to hear you say so, my son. I _am_ your friend.' 'What does that mean?' And I pointed to Jessie and Mr. Glover. He looked at my agitated face, and then at the two persons I was interested in; but he did not answer me. 'Why don't you speak, Mac? Why don't you answer me?' 'Because I don't quite understand you, my son.' 'When a person in Mr. Glover's position,' I said, 'pays attention to an actress commencing the world as Jessie is, what does it mean?' 'Speak a little lower, my son. It means that he is interested in her. There's nothing unusual in that.' 'But it _may_ mean something more; it may mean that he is fond of her.' 'It may; and there would be nothing unusual in that. But it does not follow that she is fond of him. Beware of the green-eyed monster, my son. Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend from jealousy! Take a lesson from an old stager.' (But what the lesson was he did not state.) 'Why don't you ask Turk about it?' 'I have my reasons; I would rather Turk should not know anything of this.'