The $500 Check — page 258: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BERT’S FIRST STAGE APPEARANCE. 239 “Yes; but it seems sudden. I should have to learn the part.’’ ‘‘ All told there are not more than twenty lines, and you won’t come on till the second act. You've spoken pieces, haven't you ?’’ ‘* Yes, and I like it.’”’ ‘‘T was sure of it. Then you accept ?’’ ‘*Tf you think I can do it, and will tell me exactly what to do.”’ ‘“Come round at once to the stage entrance. I will give you your lines and tell you the business. We'll speak about terms later.”’ As Bert followed Orville round to the stage door he asked himself whether he was not acting foolishly in accepting, at such short notice, a position to which he was entirely un- accustomed. If he had not liked declamation, and felt moderately self-possessed before an - audience, he would have promptly refused. As it was, the prospect, while it somewhat daunted, also pleased him. Besides, he saw that, though he might not be able to fill the place of Bob Hazleton, it was imperatively necessary that the part should be taken by some one, and there was no time to lose in Eomichboo CS (E(@) m