E-text prepared by Kathryn Lybarger
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)

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PICKING UP A HAT, LAURA LOOKED AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR.
Frontispiece.
Page 251.

The

EASIEST WAY

A Story of Metropolitan Life

By

EUGENE WALTER
and
ARTHUR HORNBLOW

Illustrations By

ARCHIE GUNN and JOSEPH BYRON

W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

Copyright, 1911, by
G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY

The Easiest Way.

A FOREWORD

In presenting this story of a déclassée who attempts to redeem her scarlet past by a disinterested, honest attachment only to meet with dire, miserable failure, the authors wish to make it plain that their heroine and her associates are in no way to be identified with the dramatic profession. Laura Murdock represents the type of woman of easy virtue who is sometimes seen behind the footlights and helps to give the theatre a bad name. Although destitute of the slightest histrionic talent, she styles herself an "actress" in order to better conceal her true vocation. As a class, the earnest, hardworking men and women who devote their lives to the dramatic art are entitled to the highest regard and respect. No profession counts in its ranks more virtuous women, more honorable men than the artists who give lustre to the American stage. If such women as Laura Murdock succeed in gaining a foothold on the boards it must be looked upon merely as an unfortunate accident. The better element in the theatre shuns them and their theatrical aspirations are not encouraged by reputable managers.

ILLUSTRATIONS