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on you. And you needn’t worry about that Peter Cortez. He can’t act anything like as well as you.”
     
    “Thank you,” David said. “I hope he’ll not try to cause more trouble.”
     
    Nancy gave Fanny an amused glance, “You handled Cortez perfectly! And what I said about his being a lady chaser is true! He has a dreadful reputation with women!”
     
    “Ah!” Fanny said. “I must remember that.”
     
    “It would be wise to,” Nancy warned her. “He wasn’t joking when he said he pays most attention to married women.”
     
    “Perhaps he’ll not return,” David suggested.
     
    Nancy’s blue eyes twinkled. “I’d wager you are wrong. I say he’ll be back. I saw the way he was looking at your wife. She’s the bait who will cause his return.”
     
    Fanny wasn’t pleased by the prospect of having to deal with an arrogant, lecherous actor who hated both herself and her husband. And she joined in the hope they wouldn’t see him again. After they had lunched they returned to the rehearsal room.
     
    To their surprise Peter Cortez had already returned.. He had changed to a less flamboyant brown jacket and trousers and he was conversing seriously with the old, character actor, Lester Loft. On seeing them enter he excused himself from the old man and came towards them.
     
    It was evident at once that he had sobered up in the interval and he now spoke clearly as he said, “I talked with Mr. Barnum and he persuaded me to remain with the company.”
     
    “Very good,” David said with a nod.
     
    Cortez smiled sheepishly. “I fear I was still drunk when I came here this morning. I have heard of your ability from the company and I’m willing to take second place to you.”
     
    David said, “I would prefer to think of you as an actor in an ensemble of actors. We function only as a group. I like all the units to be of first calibre.”
     
    The golden-haired man said, “I’ll play whatever parts you may wish to assign to me.”
     
    David said, “There will be no problems.”
     
    Cortez bowed and then turned to her with a smile and said, “If I behaved impudently towards you I ask your pardon.”
     
    “You have no need to apologize,” Fanny told him. “I have heard good things about your ability from Mr. Barnum. I’m glad we shall be working together.”
     
    Cortez bowed again and went back to his conversation with Lester Loft. The attractive Nancy came over to Fanny and in an aside, whispered, “He’s being much too agreeable. Don’t trust him!”
     
    Fanny smiled. “I’ll be careful not to drop my guard.”
     
    But she did before the afternoon was over. Peter Cortez played the role assigned to him and did it very well. At the same time she was conscious that he was carefully studying the work of herself and David. She knew that compared to them, the young actor had little experience. But his potential was great. With more experience he was surely destined to be an important actor.
     
    She was weary at the end of rehearsal and picked up her cloak and waited to join David who was giving some instructions to one of the young women of the company.
     
    “Fanny Cornish!” a voice said at her elbow and she turned to see a smiling Peter Cortez. He went on, “l like the name.”
     
    “Thank you,” she said.
     
    “And I like your acting and your husband’s,” he said. “I can learn from you two.”
     
    “David has star quality.”
     
    “So have you.”
     
    “I’ve always played in support of a star,” she said.
     
    “You’ve learned your trade well,” the golden-haired man said. “I’ve been spoiled. The darling of my own California. I’ve just started to find out that doesn’t count for much. Playing before a lot of drunken sailors and miners or to a few culture-starved ladies groups in that out of the way place! This is where I must shine! Here in New York!”
     
    She smiled. “I think we will all settle for Philadelphia for a start.”
     
    “I get drunk