“Hallo, Bella, you look done up!”

“I am,” admitted the girl wearily.  “It was as much as I could do to pull through to-night, and I have got a beastly new song to tackle.”

“I don’t like your cough, my dear,” said Mrs. Doss, looking distressed; “it shakes you to bits.”

“I’ve got a little more cold, I fancy; but I’ll be all right in a day or two.”

“You’re not looking the thing—­I saw you from the front to-night—­and—­well, I guess it was a bit of a heffort to sing at all, eh?”

Bella turned quickly and looked sharply into Mr. Doss’s face.

“If you have got anything disagreeable to say, don’t be afraid, out with it.  I suppose you have jumped to the notion that I’m dying?”

She tried to laugh, but it was a piteous attempt, and ended in a fit of coughing which left her white and trembling in every limb.

“There, there!” cried Mrs. Doss, compassionately; “you must not excite yourself; we will do the talking, and you keep quiet.”

Bella lay back on her cushions, weak and exhausted, and when the Dosses at length went away she gave a sigh of relief.

“What did they come for to-night?” she said thoughtfully.

“Well, Bella, Doss had heard a bit of bad news and thought it as well to put you on your guard; but finding you like this put it out of his head, I suppose.”

“Bad news?  What do you mean?  He’s not married, is he?”

Saidie stared at her.

“Not that I know of—­why, he would have you to-morrow; you know that as well as I do! you are treating him in a rough way; there’s no mistake about it.”

Bella fell back again relievedly.

“Oh, you’re talking about Charlie, are you?” she said.

“Who should I be talking about?  There isn’t no one else as wants to make an honest woman of you, is there?”

The shaft fell short of its mark.  Bella did not even wince.

“Well, it strikes me, my girl, you’ll have to fall in with his views,” Saidie continued presently; “for if what has come to Doss’s ears is true, you’ll be out of a berth before you can say Christopher Columbus.”

“What on earth do you mean?”

“The management are getting dissatisfied, and we know what that means.”

The pale face flushed poppy red.

“They can’t help themselves,” she said eagerly.  “I have a contract for six months.  They cannot cancel it, you must know they can’t, and it’s not very likely I shall allow myself to be played fast and loose with as the fancy takes them.”

“But if you’re not able to fulfil your share of the contract—­”

“Who says I am not?” cried Bella fiercely.  “Old Robertson is a fool, and if he thinks I’m going to put up with any hanky-panky, he’s jolly well mistaken.  Let him try it on, that’s all!  I should immediately take steps to enforce my rights, the law is on my side, that’s clear enough.”