I came home in ecstasy and told McClellan that I had found a gold mine. When I told him of part of what I had accomplished he sat bolt upright in bed and upbraided me unmercifully, ending with, "You —— —— fool! You're going away from one woman only to fall in love with another! You haven't a chance, though, for she and Frank Worthing are head over heels in love with each other!"
"I don't give a d—n," I replied cheerfully. "I will engage him too if he'll come to Australia! He's a fine actor!"
"What?" yelled Mac. "You haven't engaged her for Australia, have you?"
"Sure, Mike," I replied.
"Well," said he, "I always thought you were crazy; now I know it! I'll bet you a thousand dollars that neither of them will come!"
"You're on," I said. "That is, I'll bet you one will come. Gertrude gave me her word."
"Oh go have your head examined," growled Mac as he covered his face and rolled over into slumberland, leaving me alone.
And all night long Fate paced up and down outside my door in the Palace Hotel plotting my future!
Had I not made those two engagements the pages of history would have been greatly changed. Had the little Kentucky family held aloof there would have been no Maxine Elliott Theatre in New York; Forbes-Robertson would never have met the sweet Gertrude; the latter would never have been launched as a star; Maxine would not now be a retired actress, rich and famous; Clyde Fitch's career would have been postponed and the avenues of my poor life would have been broader and less clogged with weeds.