"I have every reason to believe," Mr. Owen answered with quiet emphasis, "that the whole crew--and Miss Lys with them--are in London at the present moment!" CHAPTER VIII "THE GOLDEN MAIDEN" The theatrical criticism of the _Daily Wire_ was always printed on page 4; the more important news on page 6, over the leaf. It was for this reason that Hampson, the editor of the _Christian Friend_, never saw the news from Wales, and realized nothing of the stupendous happenings there until the extraordinary events of the same night in London. He had arrived at his office for a long day's work. Among his letters was one from a young man who, it appeared, had but lately arrived in the metropolis to fill a situation as clerk in a big mercantile house. Hampson had inaugurated a special feature in the paper. It was a sort of "advice bureau," and already he knew that he had been able to help hundreds of people in this way. The letter from the clerk, obviously a Christian man who desired to live a godly life, but was puzzled by the newness and strangeness of the modern Babylon, in especial asked one question. He had been invited by one of his fellows to attend a theatrical performance at one of the "musical comedy" houses. Although he knew nothing of theatres, save that there was a strong prejudice against them among his own people in the country, he had declined the invitation. The result had been that he had endured a good deal of ridicule, and when asked to state his reasons for refusal, had been unable to do so. Now he asked the editor's opinion upon the whole matter. The question was one that Hampson had never thoroughly gone into. He had certainly a low opinion of the calling of an actor or actress. He believed the body to be the temple of the Holy Ghost, and therefore thought it wrong to nightly paint that body and expose its grace and beauty to the gaze of every one. It was years, however, since he himself had entered the doors of a theatre. While he was thinking the matter out, and wondering what answer he should make to the inquirer, his eye happened to fall upon the _Daily Wire_, which lay open on the desk beside him. He took up the paper and read the criticism of the new play at the Frivolity--read it with very different feelings to those which animated Sir Augustus Kirwan on the evening of the same day. If this was what the theatre was coming to, then let all decent men and women keep out of such places!