CONTENTS
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I. | Al Makes Application. | [5] |
| II. | Al Talks Business. | [12] |
| III. | Al's Scheme. | [17] |
| IV. | Al to the Rescue. | [24] |
| V. | Al Claims His Reward. | [29] |
| VI. | Another Rock Ahead. | [35] |
| VII. | The Debut. | [41] |
| VIII. | A Startling Situation. | [47] |
| IX. | A Close Call. | [53] |
| X. | An Interview with the Mayor. | [61] |
| XI. | In Peril. | [67] |
| XII. | Interviewed. | [73] |
| XIII. | A Stroke of Luck. | [80] |
| XIV. | Al's Ad. | [87] |
| XV. | Saved by a Shadow. | [91] |
| XVI. | A Lesson in Journalism. | [97] |
| XVII. | "I Want You." | [103] |
| XVIII. | Mr. Marmaduke Merry. | [109] |
| XIX. | A Startling Acknowledgment. | [115] |
| XX. | The Locket. | [121] |
| XXI. | Brother and Sister. | [127] |
| XXII. | An Awful Catastrophe. | [133] |
| XXIII. | An Eventful Night. | [139] |
| XXIV. | A Clew. | [145] |
| XXV. | On the Track. | [151] |
| XXVI. | "Dr. Ferguson." | [157] |
| XXVII. | An Unlucky Error. | [163] |
| XXVIII. | An Exciting Interview. | [169] |
| XXIX. | A Dangerous Job Ahead. | [175] |
| XXX. | Hard Luck. | [181] |
| XXXI. | A Woman's Vengeance. | [187] |
| XXXII. | And Last. | [193] |
AHEAD OF THE SHOW.
CHAPTER I.
AL MAKES APPLICATION.
"If I had that fellow here I'd make him wish he'd never heard the name of Augustus Wattles. And I'll do it some day, too."
The manager and proprietor of Wattles' New York Comedy Company was very, very "mad." His naturally florid face was redder than usual, and his fists were clinched in a manner that augured no good to the "fellow" referred to, had that individual chanced to appear upon the scene at this precise moment.
He stood at the door of the Boomville Opera House, in company with the local manager, Mr. Cyrus Perley, who seemed in some degree to share his discomfiture and anger.