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94 a great mission he was upon, and even Broadway became consecrated ground. He walked far beyond the cross street of the theatre in his absorption, so it was exactly half-after nine when he arrived at the box office.

“I want to speak to Mr. Belasco,” he said to the man there.

“Three flights up.”

“Is there an elevator?”

“Naw.”

He resented the man’s grin, but he made no reply. He began to climb the long flights of dark stairs. Arrived at the top, the doors were all locked, so he was forced to descend again to the box office.

“There is nobody up there,” he said.

“You didn’t expect anybody to be there at this hour of the dawn, did you?”

“What time does Mr. Belasco usually come?”

“There is nothing usual about him. He is liable to land here any time between now and midnight, if he comes at all.”

“He doesn’t come every day, then?”

The man grinned.

“Say, you’re new to this game, ain’t you? Some-