It was the first time Mr. Author had seen even the waiting room of a booking office—­it amazed him by its busy air.  A score or more performers crowded its every inch of space.  They were thickest around a little grilled window, behind which stood a boy who seemed to know them all.  Some he dismissed with a “Come in tomorrow.”  Others he talked with at length, and took their cards.  When he had a handful he disappeared from the window.

But Mr. Producer was calling Mr. Author.  Mr. Producer stood holding open the inner door.  So in Mr. Author went—­to another surprise.  Here there was no crush of people—­here there was no rush, and little noise.  Stenographers stood about, seemingly idle, and at a dozen little desks sat a dozen men quietly bending over rather odd-looking books, or talking with the few men who came in.

One of these men Mr. Author recognized as Mr. Booking Manager, for whom they were to play the second week.  He was about to speak to him, when up came a bustling little man who said, “Do you want Miss Headliner for the week of the thirtieth?  I can give her to you.”

“Nope, all filled.  Give you the week of the twenty-third.”

“All right.”

Mr. Booking Agent made a note in his little book, and Mr. Booking Manager bent over his desk and wrote Miss Headliner’s name in his big book—­and a business transaction was consummated.

Then Mr. Booking Agent hustled over to another desk and repeated his offer of the week of the thirtieth.

“Sorry, give you the week of the twenty-third,” said this man.

“Just filled it,” said Mr. Booking Agent.  “Can’t you give me the thirtieth?  Who’s got the thirtieth open?”

The man at the next desk heard him.  “Who for?  Miss Headliner?  All right, I’ll take her.”

Just then Mr. Producer came out of a little room and Mr. Author followed him in a wild dash to catch the train.  In the smoker he asked Mr. Producer to explain what he had seen in the Booking Offices.  And Mr. Producer said:  “Each one of those men you saw up there is in charge of the shows of one, or maybe three or four vaudeville theatres in different cities.  It is their duty to make up the shows that appear in each of their houses.  For instance, Mr. Booking Manager, whose house we are playing this week, books the shows in four other houses.

“The man you heard ask him if he would take Miss Headliner for the thirtieth, is Miss Headliner’s business representative.  His name is Mr. Booking Agent.  Besides Miss Headliner, he is the representative for maybe fifty other acts.  For this service he receives a commission of five per cent of Miss Headliner’s salary and five per cent on the salaries of all the acts for whom he gets work.  It is his business to keep Miss Headliner booked, and he is paid by her and his other clients for keeping them working.

“Mr. Booking Manager, on the other hand, is not paid a commission.  He receives a flat salary for the work that he does for his houses.  You remember you met him yesterday, when he pencilled ‘Success’ in for the house we are on our way to play.  Well, that is also a part of his business.  For some of his houses that like to make a big showing at little expense, he must dig up new big acts like ours, which are breaking-in.