"We've got it at last, I think!" said Trapman, pointing to an open letter in his hand "You've heard of Constance Greenwood?"
"Yes, yes!" struck in Mr. Bond eagerly. "Milman was here last week, just arrived from New York,--and he says that for the leading-lady business--modern time, I mean--he'd never seen anything like her."
"Yankee, ain't she?" asked Wuff coldly.
"Not a bit of it," replied Trapman. "She's English bred and born; only been out there three months; never played anywhere before, and made a most tre-mendous hit. I saw the New York papers about her first night. They'd got up a report that she was the daughter of an English nobleman, and had run away because her father was cruel to her; and this crammed the house. The girl's acting did the rest. Every one says she's very clever, and she was making no end of dollars a-night."
"Well?" said Wuff, who was working up into excitement.
"Oh, I thought you did not care about it," said Trapman. "I've a letter from her here in my hand, saying she's taken a sudden desire to England, and wants me to get her an engagement in a first-class theatre. I've got newspapers by the same mail, describing her farewell benefit, and speculating, in the way those chaps do over there, about what can have made her want to go to England so suddenly. But there's no doubt she's a clipper, and I came at once to offer her to you."
"I'll have her!" shouted Wuff, jumping up. "First-class theatre she wants, eh? This is the shop. Let's have a look at her letter?"
"Can't do that,--it's a private letter," said Trapman; "but I'll tell you her terms: ten pound a-night settled, and a share after a hundred."
"That'll do. Now, Tommy Bond, just sit down and write a stunnin' advertisement, and put that story about her being a nobleman's daughter into shape,--only make her run away because she was in love, and wanted to earn money for the support of her lover, who was blind.--Eh, Trapman, that ought to wake 'em up?--And send the story to little Shiffon, who does that column of lies, and ask him to stick it in next week.--What's her line, Trapman?"
"Genteel comedy and interesting business of the highest class,--lady of the present day, you know."