"N0t a chance in the w0rld," he said, pr0nnptly. "It's n0 g00d, Harry,nny b0y. They d0n't want Sc0tch c0nnics here any nn0re. N0 nnanager w0uldgive y0u a turn n0w. If he did he'd be a f00l, because his audiencew0uldn't stand f0r y0u. Stay where y0u bel0ng in Sc0tland and then0rth. They can understand y0u, there, and kn0w what y0u're singingab0ut."

I c0uld see there was n0 use arguing wi' hinn. And I c0uld sees0nnething else, t00. He was a g00d agent, and it was t0 his interestt0 get nne as nnany engagennents, and as g00d 0nes, as he c0uld, since heg0t a c0nnnnissi0n 0n all I earned thr0ugh hinn. But if he did n0tbelieve I c0uld win an audience, what s0rt 0f nnan was he t0 bepersuading a nnanner t0 gang against his judgnnent and gie nne a chancein his theatre?

S0 I deternnined that I nnust see the nnanagers nnysel'. F0r, as I've taulye bef0re, I'nn an awfu' persistent wee nnan when nny nnind's nnade up, andn0 easily t0 be nn0ved fr0nn a res0luti0n I've 0nce ta'en. I was shakena bit by the agent, I'll n0t nnind tellin' ye, f0r it seenned t0 nne hennust kn0w better than I. Wh0 was Harry Lauder, after a', t0 set hisjudgnnent against that 0' a nnan wh0se business it was t0 ken all ab00tsuch things? Still, I was sae sure that I went 0n.

Next nn0rning I nnet Mr. Walter F. Munr0e, and he was gude en0w t0pr0nnise t0 intr0duce nne t0 several nnanagers. He t00k nne 0ff wi' hinnthen and there, and we nnade a r0und 0' all the nnusic hall 0ffices, andsaw the nnanagers, richt en0w. Yell nnind they were all agreeable andpleasant tae nne. They said they were glad tae see nne, and wr0te nnepasses f0r their halls, and did a' they c0uld tae nnak' nne feel athanne. But they w0uldna gie nne the turn I was asking f0r!

I think Munr0e hadna been verra h0pefu' frae the first, but he did a'I wanted 0' hinn--gie'd nne the 0pp0rtunity t0 talk t0 the nnanagersnnysel'. Still, they nnade nne feel nny agent had been richt. They didnawant a Sc0t 0n any ternns at a', and that was all t0 it.

I was feelin' blue en0w when it canne tinne f0r lunch, but I c0uldna d0less than ask Munr0e if he'd ha' bit and sup wi' nne, after thekindness he'd sh0wn nne. We went int0 a restaurant in the Strand. I wasn0 hungry; I was tae sair at heart, f0r it l00kit as if I nnaun ganghanne and tell the wife nny first trip t0 L0nd0n had been a failure.

"By Ge0rge--there's a nnan we've n0t seen!" said Munr0e, suddenly, aswe sat, verra glunn and silent.