"No," declared Martha. "I have had my chance, and I have failed. To-night the theater will be closed."
"Well, that's wise, at any rate," said Gordon. "So it's merely a change of angels--with you, Clayton, to pay the bills?"
"Hereafter," said Clayton, calmly, "it will be my pleasure and my privilege to pay all of Miss Farnum's bills for life. She has promised to be my wife."
"Precisely," continued Clayton. "I bid higher than anything you can offer, Gordon. My bid includes a wedding ring."
Gordon stepped back, looked from Martha to Clayton, and back again to the girl, who stood, confused and embarrassed, with her eyes turned toward the floor. Then the innate refinement and the result of years of breeding asserted itself in Gordon's pale face. He stepped forward seriously to Martha.
"Miss Farnum," he said, humbly and sincerely, "better men than _I_ have made mistakes. May I wish you every happiness? The same to you, Clayton, with all my heart. Good-bye."
He turned and walked from the room. Not until he had gone did Martha dare to look Clayton squarely in the face.
"I was going to write you this morning," she said, "to tell you that I am going home."
"Without your manager's permission? Not even a two weeks' notice?"
"Do be serious, please," she pleaded. Then with a sudden outburst of passion: "I've failed in everything I ever tried."
"You haven't failed in my eyes," declared Clayton, taking her hand, while she turned away from him. "You have merely missed one opportunity you had dreamed of."
"Yesterday I dreamed, but to-day I am awake. I am going home."
Clayton reached over and took her other hand, then swung her around so that she faced him and could not evade his direct glance.
"Didn't I tell Gordon I was going to marry you?" he demanded. "I've run out of all my other fads, and now my latest fad is trying to run away from me."
Martha gazed up at him coquettishly. "You mean you want to marry me just to see what I'll do?" she pouted.
"That's one of the reasons, not to mention loving you," replied Clayton, in a brisk, businesslike tone. "Well?"
Martha paused a moment. "Do you remember," she asked, "once you said the greatest success meant nothing if the right person did not share it with you?"