Beth Norvell - Page 6/177

"Certainly; that will be perfectly satisfactory."

"Ah," delightedly, "you vos a goot poy, villin' to learn, I see. Next

season, who knows, you might be leading man if you vork hardt. I bay

you now after one veek's trial, when I know petter vot you are vort,

hey?"

Winston carelessly nodded his acceptance of these rather indefinite

terms, his hands thrust into his pockets, his gray eyes smiling their

appreciation of the situation. Albrecht was deliberately looking him

over, as he might a horse he had just purchased.

"You are kinder slim to look at," he confessed at last, thoughtfully.

"Are you bretty strong?"

The younger man silently held forth his right arm to the inspection of

the other, who fingered the iron rigidity of muscle under the cloth

with evident respect.

"God of Yacob!" the manager muttered in unconcealed surprise, "it is

vonderful, and you such a slender young man to look at. I vos most

afraidt you could not do mein vork, but it is all right. You vill eat

mit us at the long table," he waved his hand indefinitely toward the

dining-room, "at 12:30, and then I valk mit you over py der Obera

House, und show you vat der is to be done mit dot scenery und dem

trunks. Mein Gott! it vos vonderful dot muscles vot you haf got--you

vould make a great Davy Crockett ven I learns you de business, mein

frient."

The manager's appreciation of his new acquisition was so clearly

evident that Winston felt compelled to notice it.

"I am rejoiced you appear so well satisfied," he said, rising to his

feet.

"Satisfied! Mein Gott," and the overjoyed Albrecht cordially clasped

the hand of his new recruit. "It vos a great season of luck for me,

mein frient. Dot Meess Norvell, she makes me mooch monies vile I shows

her how to be an actress,--oh, it vos yoost beautiful to see her

act,--und now you comes mit me also, und cares nottings for vot I bay

you, und I can see you haf der actor genius. Mein Gott! it vos too

goot to be true."

Winston broke away gladly, and drifted back toward the cigar stand,

where the mystified Tommy yet stood staring at him.

"Well, did you get it?" the latter questioned, grinning.

"Thomas," returned the other loftily. "You can hand me out another

cigar, and I will thank you not to be quite so familiar in the future.

I am now general utility man with the 'Heart of the World' company, and

consequently entitled to greater respect."