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 prodigious amount of noise in several languages while Mama attempted to comfort her in tones which corresponded in volume to the star's own. It was necessary to speak vociferously indeed to make oneself heard above Imperia's ravings. Even at this lugubrious moment it had occurred to Ambrose to wonder if the fact that motion pictures were silent accounted for the enormous volubility of those engaged in making them.

At length the racket abruptly ceased, whispers supplanting shrieks, and now the incident had occurred which had enraged Ambrose to the point of taking decisive action. He had heard the key turning in the lock of his door. Without a moment's hesitation, without a second's consideration, he had approached the open window, glanced out and observed that it would be a comparatively simple matter to swing himself down by the aid of the trunk of the English ivy. Desperation and blind rage gave him the courage. Leaving his bags behind him, he had descended without mishap, although he had landed rather clumsily, covering his clothes with dirt. Rising quickly, he had run as swiftly as he could down the drive and soon was on the open road, well on his way to freedom.

Luck continued to favour him. He had not walked