Philip Curtiss

“ The usual unattached individuals, mostly women, waiting for "friends with the tickets," were lined up along the wall searching anxiously each face as it entered the door. The door-man was in his position beside the tall boxes while, on the other side of the lobby, stood a stolid fireman in uniform.
With an attitude unconsciously but ludicrously professional, Bellsmith found himself settling back to watch the entering crowd, strangely feeling himself already an official part of the scene. ”

“ Gay has a weakness for one thing. He is all for New York attractions. He wants to see a show right there under his nose, and no matter how good the show is doing, like this one, he loses interest in it when it goes out on the road. He's already got more in town than he can handle, and so, when he found that you really meant it, he said he might sell—for a price."
He waited expectantly and Bellsmith cleared his throat.
"Er—er, what is the price?"
Israels stiffened himself into the attitude which such a negotiation demanded. ”

“ Despite the strange ease with which everything had progressed up to that moment, he had still more than half felt that something would come up to stop the grotesque negotiations before they really reached a serious point. ”