Her Faithful Knight — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

98 A New Career. of course, you will take me for your agent in the matter, on my usual ten per cent commission up to the amount of the first week’s salary, I should fix them at ten pounds a week.” “Ten pounds a week,” Dorothy repeated blankly. “But, Mr. Whitlock, I can’t act!” “Lots of people make twice that in London theatres who can’t act and never will. If Mr. Derrick is such a f I mean, if Mr. Derrick is willing to pay you such terms, and can afford them, you take them, and leave the public to find out whether you are worth it. Sixty pounds in six weeks is something in these hard times, even deducting my commission.” “But there are dresses to be got——’”’ began Dorothy, when the agent cut her short. “Oh, I should make him meet you about those. Tell him you haven’t got the money to do justice to the part in the matter of dressing, and he'll shell out right enough.” “Shell out ?” “Yes, plank down the oof—oh, Miss Knight, you have much to learn on the stage, but I really haven’t time to teach you. Come, is it a bargain? The Hon. Darcy is coming back in half an hour to know if it is all settled. He’s doing the thing in style. You start rehearsing Wednesday at Hastings; rehearse ten days’ open Satur- day. Company travels four o’clock train to-morrow from Charing Cross Station. If you call here ten o’clock to- morrow morning I’ll have your agreement drawn up, get it stamped, and, whether you can act or whether you can’t, he’ll have to pay you sixty pounds.” “Tt is impossible,” cried Dorothy in bewilderment. “TI cannot stay away from home for ten days. It would be very expensive.” “He'll pay half salaries for ten days’ rehearsals, and (COMME VOOKS eo)