Fortunately, the telephone broke in on the tension. Another followed, even before she had left the anteroom. The first was an invitation from Roderigo Sanderson, one of Broadway's favorite leading men, to a dress rehearsal of a new comic opera that promised to be the rage of the season. While secretly delighted at the prospect, Doré answered, in a tone of subdued suffering, that she was in bed with a frightful head-ache--that, though it seemed to be improving, she couldn't tell how she would feel later, and adjourned a decision until six, at which hour he was to telephone. She gave the same reply to the second invitation, a proposition from Donald Bacon, a broker, who was organizing a party for a cabaret dance later in the evening. "Hurray! Now I can have a choice," she said, tripping gaily back and pirouetting twice on her left foot. Suddenly she stopped, folding her arms savagely. "Winona!" "What?" "I'm bored!" "Since when?" "Don't laugh! Really, I am unhappy! If something exciting would happen--if I could fall in love!" "You will be when you come back!" "Yes--that's the trouble!" said Doré, laughing. "But it never lasts!" "And day before yesterday?" "What about it?" "That wonderful Italian you came home raving about?" "Ah, yes! that was a great disappointment!" She repeated, in a tone of discouragement: "A great disappointment! It's the second meeting that's so awful! Men are so stupid, it's no fun any more!" All at once she noticed her friend's attitude. "What's the matter? You're not angry!" "No, not that!" Winona rose, flinging down the manicuring sticks, drawing a deep breath. "Only, when I see you throwing over a chance like that from Blainey--" "What! You want the job?" exclaimed Doré, struck by the thought. "Want it?" cried the girl bitterly. "I'd go up Broadway on my knees to get it!" "Why didn't you tell me?" "Ah! this has got to end sometime," said the girl, locking and unlocking her fingers. "Snyder was right. It's work--work! She's lucky!" Doré became suddenly thoughtful. Between Salamanders real confidences are rare. She knew nothing of the girl who was separated from her but by a wall, but there was no mistaking the pain in her voice. "I'm sorry!" she said. "Yes, I've come to the end of my rope," said Winona. "I'm older than you--I've played too long!" "You shall have the job!" "Oh, it's easy to--" "I'll go to-morrow. I'll make Blainey give it to you." "He won't!" "He? Of course he will! That old walrus? He'll do anything I tell him! That's settled! I'll see him to-morrow!" Winona turned, composing her passion. "I'm a fool!" she said. "Hard up?" "Busted!" "The deuce! So'm I! Never mind; we'll find some way--" "Why don't you take the job yourself?" "I? Never! I couldn't! It's too soon to be serious!" exclaimed Doré, laughing in order to relieve the tension. "When I'm twenty-three--in six months--not before! It's all decided."