"To be sure！"he muttered."You have read my mindaccurately，Mr.Jones.Here，Judd，"to his secretary，"？nd Werner and tell him I don't approve his choice of Flo Stanton as a substitute for Nance Holden.Let's see；tell him to put that Moore girl in her place."The young fellow bowed and left the room.McNeil smiled slyly to himself as he bent over his manu.Jones had goneto Maud's side to inquire anxiously after her injury.
"I don't imagine it will amount to much，"she said reassuringly."Mr.Goldstein wants me to rest quietly until this afternoon，when our new photo—play is to be produced.I'm to do the leading part，you know，and he thinks I'll be able by that time to get through all right."Goldstein overheard this and came toward them，rubbinghis hands together nervously.
"That seems unwise，Miss Maud，"objected Jones."To use your foot so soon might make it much worse.Let us postpone the play until some other time."Goldstein's face was a study.His body twitched spasmodicallya."Oh，Mr.Jones！"he exclaimed；"that's impossible；it wouldn't do at all！We've been rehearsing this play and preparing for its production for the last two weeks，and to—day all our actors and assistants are here and ready to make the picture.I've already postponed it four hours—until this afternoon—to favor Miss Stanton，but，really—""Never mind the details，"interrupted the boy."I do not consider Miss Stanton able to do her work to—day.Send her back to her hotel at once and order the play postponed until she is able to attend."Goldstein was greatly disturbed by this order，issuedquietly but in a tone of command that brookedb no opposition.Again he glanced shrewdly at the young man，and in themanager's face astonishment and fear were intermingled."Sir，"he said in repressed tones，for he was really angryand had been accustomed to wield the power of an autocrata in this establishment，"you are placing me in an embarrassing position.I am expected to make every day count，so that the Continental may pay a liberal profit to its owners.To follow your instructions would burden us with an enormous expense，quite useless，I assure you，and—""Very well.Incur the expense，Goldstein.""All right，Mr.Jones.Excuse me a moment while I issue instructions for the postponement."McNeil rose and faced the manager.
"Are you really going to postpone this important play ？"he demanded，in a voice of wonder.
Goldstein was glad to ventb his chagrinc on the producer."No insolence，sir！"he roared."Come with me，and，"as he dragged McNeil to the door and paused there，"if you dare lisp a word of what you've overheard，I'll ？re you like a shot ！"When they had left the room Maud said with a puzzled air：
"I can't understand your power over Goldstein，Mr.Jones.He is a dictator—almost a tyrantd—and in this place his wordis law.At least，it was until you came，and—and—""Don't try to understand it，Miss Stanton，"he answered in a careless manner."Do you think you can manage to crawl to the automobile，or shall we carry you ？""I'll bet Goldstein has murdered someone，and Mr.
Jones knows all about it ！"exclaimed Flo，who had been an interested witness of the scene.
Maud stood up，with her sister's support，and tested herlame ankle.
"It still hurts a little，"she said，"but I can manage to hobble on it.""Get your sister's wraps，"the boy said to Flo，"and we'llsend her straight home.""I expect Goldstein will dock my salary，as well as ？ne Flo，"remarked Maud musingly，as she waited for her hat and coat."He obeyed you very meekly，Mr.Jones，but I could see a wicked glitter in his eye，nevertheless.""I am sure the manager will neither dock nor ？ne either of you，"he replied reassuringly."On the contrary，you might sue the company for damages，for leaving that lumber where you would fall over it.""Oh，no，"she returned，laughing at the idea."We have signed contracts waiving any damages for injuries sustained while at work on the premises.We all have to do that，you know，because the business is hazardous at its best.On theother hand，Mr.Goldstein has a physician and surgeon always within call，in case of accident，and the service is quite free to all the employees."He nodded.
"I know.But the fact that you signed such a contract，under compulsion，would not prevent the court from awarding damages，if you sustained them while on duty.""This hurt is nothing of importance，"she said hastily."In a day or two I shall be able to walk as well as ever."Flo came running back with Maud's things.Aunt Jane followed，saying that if Maud was to go to the hotel she would accompany her and take care of her.
"I've examined the ankle，"she said to young Jones，"and I assure you it is not a severe strain.But it is true that she will be better off in her own room，where she can rest quietly.So I will go with her.""How about Miss Flo ？"asked the boy.
"Flo is very self—relianta and will get along to—day very nicely without me，"replied Mrs.Montrose.
Mr.Goldstein entered，frowning and still resenting the interference of this Mr.A.Jones of Sangoa.But he ventured no further protest nor did he speak until Maud，Flo and Aunt Jane had all left the room.
"You're not going，Mr.Jones ？"he asked.
"Only to see Miss Stanton started for home.Then I'll come back and have a little talk with you.""Thank you，sir."