Between the second and third acts of this production there was a long interval, and the two companions repaired to the foyer to recuperate their energies with a drink and a cigarette.

While thus engaged, Copplestone encountered an old school friend with whom he exchanged a few words: Gilling, meanwhile strolled about, inspecting the pictures, photographs and old playbills on the walls of the saloon and its adjacent apartments.

And suddenly, he turned back, waited until Copplestone's acquaintance had gone away, and then hurried up and smacked his co-searcher on the shoulder.
"Didn't I tell you that one's often close to a thing when one seems furthest off it!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

"Come here, my son, and look at what I've just found." He drew Copplestone away to a quiet corner and pointed out an old playbill, framed and hung on the wall.

Copplestone stared at it and saw nothing but the title of a well-known comedy, the names of one or two fairly celebrated actors and actresses and the usual particulars which appear on all similar announcements.
"Well ?" he asked.