In vain she had struggled to break herself of the habit. She suffered tortures day after day depriving herself of the drug when her entire system craved it. She tried to act at night without its aid, but that she found impossible. She could not go on the stage and simulate a light-hearted, happy girl without the assistance of the dreadful stimulant. When she tried it her feet were like lead, and there was no vivacity in her manner. She found she must use it or lose her position.
That preyed on her mind, and it was a relief to have some person with whom she could talk about it.
Then came the time when Cassie began to believe she could never get rid of the habit without the aid of some power other than her own, and she thought of praying; but it seemed utterly blasphemous for a girl like her and an actress to pray.
She meditated over it a long time, not even speaking to Frank about it till she found he was going to leave the company to go out ahead of the show.
Then she talked to him about it, and he had encouraged her to pray. He had even said he would pray for her!
Cassie had tried it, and she began to believe there might be something in it, for it seemed that praying did her good. She even bought herself a little Bible, and took to reading it every night before going to bed.
Of course the girl who roomed with her—for it was necessary for the members of the company to "double up" at hotels—soon found her reading the little Bible, caught her on her knees beside the bed, and began to tease her about it.
But Cassie stood the teasing in silence, not once showing any resentment. Everyone observed a change in her. While she had ever been kind-hearted and generous, she became even more so, putting herself out in many ways to do favors for the other members of the company. A hopeful light came to her face at times, driving away the sad and wearied expression, and when her roommate told the others that she was reading the Bible and praying every night, it became rumored that Cassie was turning Christian or going daffy. There seemed a general doubt as to which was taking place.
She was the good angel of the company, and not one of them all was there who was not indebted to her for some kindness.