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week； I to run the house； pay all the bills； and so onall； of course； if you wish to come here。''
Mildred made a not very successful attempt to conceal her embarrassment。
‘‘Perhaps you would like to look at the apartment？'' suggested Mrs。 Brindley。
‘‘Thank you； yes；'' said Mildred。
The tour of the apartmenttwo bedrooms； dining… room； kitchen； sitting…room； large bath…room； drawing… roomtook only a few minutes； but Mildred and Mrs。 Brindley contrived to become much better acquainted。 Said Mildred； when they were in the drawing…room again：
‘‘It's most attractivejust what I should like。 Whathow much did Mr。 Jennings say？''
‘‘Forty dollars a week。'' She colored slightly and spoke with the nervousness of one not in the habit of discussing money matters。 ‘‘I do not see how I could make it less。 That is the fair share of the''
‘‘Oh； I think that is most reasonable；'' interrupted Mildred。 ‘‘And I wish to come。''
Mrs。 Brindley gave an almost childlike sigh of relief and smiled radiantly。 ‘‘Then it's settled；'' said she。 ‘‘I've been so nervous about it。'' She looked at Mildred with friendly understanding。 ‘‘I think you and I are somewhat alike about practical things。 You've not had much experience； either； have you？ I judge so from the fact that Mr。 Jennings is looking after everything for you。''
‘‘I've had no experience at all；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘That is why I'm hesitating。 I'm wondering if I can afford to pay so much。''
Mrs。 Brindley laughed。 ‘‘Mr。 Jennings wished to fix it at sixty a week； but I insisted that forty was enough；'' said she。
Mildred colored high with embarrassment。 How much did Mrs。 Brindley know？or how little？ She stammered： ‘‘Well； if Mr。 Jennings says it is all right； I'll come。''
‘‘You'll let me know to…morrow？ You can telephone Mr。 Jennings。''
‘‘Yes； I'll let you know to…morrow。 I'm almost sure I'll come。 In fact； I'm quite sure。 AndI think we shall get on well together。''
‘‘We can help each other；'' said Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘I don't care for anything in the world but music。''
‘‘I want to be that way；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘I shall be that way。''
‘‘It's the only sure happinessto care for something； for some THING；'' said Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘People die； or disappoint one； or become estranged。 But when one centers on some kind of work； it gives pleasure alwaysmore and more pleasure。''
‘‘I am so afraid I haven't voice enough； or of the right kind；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘Mr。 Jennings is going to try me on Saturday。 Really I've no right to settle anything until he has given his opinion。''
Mrs。 Brindley smiled with her eyes only； and Mildred wondered。
‘‘If he should say that I wouldn't do；'' she went on； ‘‘I'd not know which way to turn。''
‘‘But he'll not say that；'' said Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘You can sing； can't you？ You have sung？''
‘‘Oh； yes。''
‘‘Then you'll be accepted by him。 And it will take him a long time to find out whether you'll do for a professional。''
‘‘I'm afraid I sing very badly。''
‘‘That will not matter。 You'll sing better than at least half of Jennings's pupils。''
‘‘Then he doesn't take only those worth while？''
Mrs。 Brindley looked amused。 ‘‘How would he live if he did that？ It's a teacher's business to teach。 Learningthat's the pupil's lookout。 If teachers taught only those who could and would learn； how would they live？''
‘‘Then I'll not know whether I'll do！'' exclaimed Mildred。
‘‘You'll have to find out for yourself；'' said Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘No one can tell you。 Anyone's opinion might be wrong。 For example； I've known Jennings； who is a very good judge； to be wrongboth ways。'' Hesitatingly： ‘‘Why not sing for me？ I'd like to hear。''
‘‘Would you tell me what you honestly thought？'' said Mildred。
Mrs。 Brindley laughingly shook her head。 Mildred liked her honesty。 ‘‘Then it'd be useless to sing for you；'' said she。 ‘‘I'm not vain about my voice。 I'd simply like to make a living by it； if I could。 I'll even confess that there are many things I care for more than for music。 Does that prove that I can never sing professionally？''
‘‘No； indeed；'' Mrs。 Brindley assured her。 ‘‘It'd be strange if a girl of your age cared exclusively for music。 The passion comes with the work； with progress； success。 And some of the greatestthat is； the most famous and best paidsingers never care much about music； except as a vanity； and never understand it。 A singer means a person born with a certain shape of mouth and throat； a certain kind of vocal chords。 The rest may be natural or acquired。 It's the instrument that makes the singer； not brains or temperament。''
‘‘Do let me sing for you；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘I think it will help me。''
Between them they chose a little French song ‘‘Chanson d'Antonine''and Mrs。 Brindley insisted on her playing her own accompaniment。 ‘‘I wish to listen；'' said she； ‘‘and I can't if I play。''
Mildred was surprised at her own freedom from nervousness。 She sang neither better nor worse than usual sang in the clear and pleasant soprano which she flattered herself was not unmusical。 When she finished she said：
‘‘That's about as I usually sing。 What do you think？''
Mrs。 Brindley reflected before she replied： ‘‘I BELIEVE it's worth trying。 If I were you； I should keep on trying； no matter what anyone said。''
Mildred was instantly depressed。 ‘‘You think Mr。 Jennings may reject me？'' she asked。
‘‘I KNOW he will not；'' replied Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘Not as long as you can pay for the lessons。 But I was thinking of the real thingof whether you could win out as a singer。''
‘‘And you don't think I can？'' said Mildred。
‘‘On the contrary； I believe you can；'' replied Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘A singer means so much besides singing。 The singing is the smallest part of it。 You'll understand when you get to work。 I couldn't explain now。 But I can say that you ought to go ahead。''
Mildred； who had her share of vanity； had hoped for some enthusiasm。 Mrs。 Brindley's judicial tone was a severe blow。 She felt a little resentful； began to cast about for vanity…consoling reasons for Mrs。 Brindley's restraint。 ‘‘She means well；'' she said to herself； ‘‘but she's probably just a tiny bit jealous。 She's not so young as she once was； and she hasn't the faintest hope of ever being anything more than a piano…teacher。''
Mrs。 Brindley showed that she had more than an inkling of Mildred's frame of mind by going on to say in a gentle； candid way： ‘‘I want to help you。 So I shall be careful not to encourage you to believe too much in what you have。 That would prevent you from getting what you need。 You must remember； you are no longer a drawing…room singer； but a candidate for the profession。 That's a very different thing。''
Mildred saw that she was mistaken； that Mrs。 Brindley was honest and frank and had doubtless told her the exact truth。 But her vanity remained sore。 Never be… fore had anyone said any less of her singing than that it was wonderful； marvelous； equal to a great deal that passed for fine in grand opera。 She had known that this was exaggeration； but she had not known how grossly exaggerated。 Thus； this her first experience of the professional attitude was g