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her。 And I'm certain this gink is giving her a raw deal。 He tried to get hold of me about a week ago； but I turned him down hard； and I suppose he thinks Babe is easier。 And it's no good talking to her； she thinks he's wonderful。 That's another kick I have against the show business。 It seems to make girls such darned chumps。 Well； I wonder how much longer Mr。 Arbuckle is going to be retrieving my mail。 What ho； within there； Fatty！〃
Mac came out； apologetic； carrying letters。
〃Sorry； miss。 By an oversight I put you among the G's。〃
〃All's well that ends well。 'Put me among the G's。' There's a good title for a song for you； George。 Excuse me while I grapple with the correspondence。 I'll bet half of these are mash notes。 I got three between the first and second acts last night。 Why the nobility and gentry of this burg should think that I'm their affinity just because I've got golden hairwhich is perfectly genuine； Mac； I can show you the pedigreeand because I earn an honest living singing off the key； is more than I can understand。〃
Mac leaned his massive shoulders fortably against the building； and resumed his chat。
〃I expect you're feeling very 'appy today； sir？〃
George pondered。 He was certainly feeling better since he had seen Billie Dore； but he was far from being himself。
〃I ought to be； I suppose。 But I'm not。〃
〃Ah； you're getting blarzy； sir； that's what it is。 You've 'ad too much of the fat； you 'ave。 This piece was a big 'it in America； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes。 It ran over a year in New York； and there are three panies of it out now。〃
〃That's 'ow it is； you see。 You've gone and got blarzy。 Too big a 'elping of success； you've 'ad。〃 Mac wagged a head like a harvest moon。 〃You aren't a married man； are you； sir？〃
Billie Dore finished skimming through her mail； and crumpled the letters up into a large ball； which she handed to Mac。
〃Here's something for you to read in your spare moments； Mac。 Glance through them any time you have a suspicion you may be a chump； and you'll have the fort of knowing that there are others。 What were you saying about being married？〃
〃Mr。 Bevan and I was 'aving a talk about 'im being blarzy； miss。〃
〃Are you blarzy； George？〃
〃So Mac says。〃
〃And why is he blarzy； miss？〃 demanded Mac rhetorically。
〃Don't ask me；〃 said Billie。 〃It's not my fault。〃
〃It's because； as I was saying； 'e's 'ad too big a 'elping of success； and because 'e ain't a married man。 You did say you wasn't a married man； didn't you； sir？〃
〃I didn't。 But I'm not。〃
〃That's 'ow it is； you see。 You pretty soon gets sick of pulling off good things； if you ain't got nobody to pat you on the back for doing of it。 Why； when I was single； if I got 'old of a sure thing for the three o'clock race and picked up a couple of quid； the thrill of it didn't seem to linger somehow。 But now； if some of the gentlemen that e 'ere put me on to something safe and I make a bit； 'arf the fascination of it is taking the stuff 'ome and rolling it on to the kitchen table and 'aving 'er pat me on the back。〃
〃How about when you lose？〃
〃I don't tell 'er；〃 said Mac simply。
〃You seem to understand the art of being happy； Mac。〃
〃It ain't an art； sir。 It's just gettin' 'old of the right little woman； and 'aving a nice little 'ome of your own to go back to at night。〃
〃Mac；〃 said Billie admiringly； 〃you talk like a Tin Pan Alley song hit； except that you've left out the scent of honeysuckle and Old Mister Moon climbing up over the trees。 Well； you're quite right。 I'm all for the simple and domestic myself。 If I could find the right man； and he didn't see me ing and duck； I'd bee one of the Mendelssohn's March Daughters right away。 Are you going； George？ There's a rehearsal at two…thirty for cuts。〃
〃I want to get the evening papers and send off a cable or two。 See you later。〃
〃We shall meet at Philippi。〃
Mac eyed George's retreating back till he had turned the corner。
〃A nice pleasant gentleman； Mr。 Bevan；〃 he said。 〃Too bad 'e's got the pip the way 'e 'as； just after 'avin' a big success like this 'ere。 es of bein' a artist； I suppose。〃
Miss Dore dived into her vanity case and produced a puff with which she proceeded to powder her nose。
〃All posers are nuts； Mac。 I was in a show once where the manager was panning the poser because there wasn't a number in the score that had a tune to it。 The poor geek admitted they weren't very tuney； but said the thing about his music was that it had such a wonderful aroma。 They all get that way。 The jazz seems to go to their heads。 George is all right； though； and don't let anyone tell you different。〃
〃Have you know him long； miss？〃
〃About five years。 I was a stenographer in the house that published his songs when I first met him。 And there's another thing you've got to hand it to George for。 He hasn't let success give him a swelled head。 The money that boy makes is sinful； Mac。 He wears thousand dollar bills next to his skin winter and summer。 But he's just the same as he was when I first knew him； when he was just hanging around Broadway； looking out for a chance to be allowed to slip a couple of interpolated numbers into any old show that came along。 Yes。 Put it in your diary； Mac； and write it on your cuff； George Bevan's all right。 He's an ace。〃
Unconscious of these eulogies； which； ing from one whose judgment he respected； might have cheered him up； George wandered down Shaftesbury Avenue feeling more depressed than ever。 The sun had gone in for the time being； and the east wind was frolicking round him like a playful puppy； patting him with a cold paw； nuzzling his ankles； bounding away and bounding back again； and behaving generally as east winds do when they discover a victim who has e out without his spring overcoat。 It was plain to George now that the sun and the wind were a couple of confidence tricksters working together as a team。 The sun had disarmed him with specious promises and an air of cheery goodfellowship； and had delivered him into the hands of the wind； which was now going through him with the swift thoroughness of the professional hold…up artist。 He quickened his steps； and began to wonder if he was so sunk in senile decay as to have acquired a liver。
He discarded the theory as repellent。 And yet there must be a reason for his depression。 Today of all days； as Mac had pointed out； he had everything to make him happy。 Popular as he was in America； this was the first piece of his to be produced in London； and there was no doubt that it was a success of unusual dimensions。 And yet he felt no elation。
He reached Piccadilly and turned westwards。 And then； as he passed the gates of the In and Out Club； he had a moment of clear vision and understood everything。 He was depressed because he was bored； and he was bored because he was lonely。 Mac； that solid thinker； had been right。 The solution of the problem of life was to get hold of the right girl and have a home to go back to at night。 He was mildly surprised that he had tried in any other direction for an explanation of his gloom。 It was all the more inexplicable in that fully 80 per cent of the lyrics which he had set in the course of his musical edy career h