Best of all I can realize, irrespective of all the sorrow which that interview cost me in after years, that it was the cause of presenting to the American and English public one of the sweetest actresses that the world has ever known and the bringing into the world three of the most beautiful children with which a mother was ever blessed! Had it not been for that interview Gertrude would never have met Forbes-Robertson, whose marriage to Gertrude Elliott has proven a blessing to both and caused the sun to shine resplendently when focused upon those two loving hearts. Fate plays pranks with us all and shifts about to suit its pleasure. Why did he concentrate his force upon one sister at that interview and demand obedience? There were two prizes in that room for me to select. As usual I drew the blank! It took me but a short time to consummate my arrangements and at three o'clock I returned with the contracts. One was for $150 and one for $75 a week. Thus Maxine and Gertrude Elliott were engaged for three years as members of my organization. I had seen neither on the stage. I simply took a chance, despite all the uncomplimentary expressions I had heard regarding their want of abilities, especially Maxine's. That night I saw them act and I never was more surprised in my life. I saw and heard two women with so much culture that they were lost in their environment. No attention was paid to their superb diction nor to the refinement of their manner. All of it was lost upon the insular, low-browed audience to which they were playing and of course it was overlooked by the management! I came home in ecstasy and told McClellan that I had found a gold mine. When I told him of part of what I had accomplished he sat bolt upright in bed and upbraided me unmercifully, ending with, "You ---- ---- fool! You're going away from one woman only to fall in love with another! You haven't a chance, though, for she and Frank Worthing are head over heels in love with each other!" "I don't give a d--n," I replied cheerfully. "I will engage him too if he'll come to Australia! He's a fine actor!" "What?" yelled Mac. "You haven't engaged her for Australia, have you?" "Sure, Mike," I replied. "Well," said he, "I always thought you were crazy; now I know it! I'll bet you a thousand dollars that neither of them will come!" "You're on," I said. "That is, I'll bet you one will come. Gertrude gave me her word." "Oh go have your head examined," growled Mac as he covered his face and rolled over into slumberland, leaving me alone. And all night long Fate paced up and down outside my door in the Palace Hotel plotting my future!