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eater singer than any that ever lived。'' He laughed delightedly。 ‘‘Yes； it is all therein two pages。 But do not weep； dear lady； because you will never sing them perfectly。 You will do very well if Always that if； remember！ Now； let us see。 Take this； sit in the chair； and begin。 Don't bother about me。 I expect nothing。 Just do the best you can。''
Desperation； when it falls short of despair； is the best word for achievement。 Mildred's voice； especially at the outset； was far from perfect condition。 Her high notes； which had never been developed properly； were almost bad。 But she acquitted herself admirably from the standpoint of showing what her possibilities were。 And Moldini； unkempt； almost unclean； but as natural and simple and human a soul as ever paid the penalties of poverty and obscurity and friendlessness for being natural and simple and human； exactly suited her peculiar temperament。 She knew that he liked her； that he believed in her； she knew that he was as sympathetic toward her as her own self； that there was no meanness anywhere in him。 So she sang like a bird a bird that was not too well in soul or in body； but still a bird out in the sunshine； with the airs of spring cheer… ing his breast and its foliage gladdening his eyes。 He kept her at it for nearly an hour。 She saw that he was pleased； that he had thought out some plan and was bursting to tell her； but had forbidden himself to speak of it。 He said：
‘‘You say you have no money？''
‘‘No； but I shall get it。''
‘‘You may have to pay high for ityes？''
She colored； but did not flinch。 ‘‘At worst； it will be unpleasant； but that's all。''
‘‘Wait onetwo daysuntil you hear from me。 I mayI do not say will； but mayget it。 Yes； I who have nothing。'' He laughed gayly。 ‘‘And we you and Iwe will divide the spoils。'' Gravely。 ‘‘Do not misunderstand。 That was my little joke。 If I get the money for you it will be quite honorable and businesslike。 Sowait； dear young lady。''
As she was going； she could not resist saying：
‘‘You are SURE I can sing？IF； of coursealways the if。''
‘‘It is not to be doubted。''
‘‘How well； do you think？''
‘‘You mean how many dollars a night well？ You mean as well as this great singer or that？ I do not know。 And you are not to compare yourself with anyone but yourself。 You will sing as well as Mildred Gower at her best。''
For some reason her blood went tingling through her veins。 If she had dared she would have kissed him。
X
THAT same afternoon Donald Keith； arrived at the top of Mrs。 Belloc's steps； met Mildred coming out。 Seeing their greeting； one would have thought they had seen each other but a few minutes before or were casual acquaintances。 Said she：
‘‘I'm going for a walk。''
‘‘Let's take the taxi；'' said he。
There it stood invitingly at the curb。 She felt tired。 She disliked walking。 She wished to sit beside him and be whirled awayout of the noisy part of the city； up where the air was clean and where there were no crowds。 But she had begun the regimen of Lucia Rivi。 She hesitated。 What matter if she began now or put off beginning until after this one last drive？
‘‘No； we will walk；'' said she。
‘‘But the streets are in frightful condition。''
She thrust out a foot covered with a new and shiny storm…rubber。
‘‘Let's drive to the park then。 We'll walk there。''
‘‘No。 If I get into the taxi； I'll not get out。 Send it away。''
When they were moving afoot up Madison Avenue； he said： ‘‘What's the matter？ This isn't like you。''
‘‘I've come to my senses；'' replied she。 ‘‘It may be too late； but I'm going to see。''
‘‘When I called on Mrs。 Brindley the other day；'' said he； ‘‘she had your note； saying that you were going into musical comedy with Crossley。''
‘‘That's over；'' said she。 ‘‘I lost my voice； and I lost my job。''
‘‘So I heard；'' said he。 ‘‘I know Crossley。 I dropped in to see him this morning； and he told me about a foolish； fashionable girl who made a bluff at going on the stagehe said she had a good voice and was a swell looker； but proved to be a regular ‘four… flusher。' I recognized you。''
‘‘Thanks；'' said she dryly。
‘‘So； I came to see you。''
She inquired about Mrs。 Brindley and then about Stanley Baird。 Finding that he was in Italy； she inquired： ‘‘Do you happen to know his address？''
‘‘I'll get it and send it to you。 He has taken a house at Monte Carlo for the winter。''
‘‘And you？''
‘‘I shall stay hereI think。''
‘‘You may join him？''
‘‘It depends''he looked at her‘‘upon you。''
He could put a wonderful amount of meaning into a slight inflection。 She strugglednot in vainto keep from changing expression。
‘‘You realize now that the career is quite hopeless？'' said he。
She did not answer。
‘‘You do not like the stage life？''
‘‘No。''
‘‘And the stage life does not like you？''
‘‘No。''
‘‘Your voice lacks both strength and stability？''
‘‘Yes。''
‘‘And you have found the one way by which you could get onand you don't like it？''
‘‘Crossley told you？'' said she； the color flaring。
‘‘Your name was not mentioned。 You may not believe it； but Crossley is a gentleman。''
She walked on in silence。
‘‘I did not expect your failure to come so soonor in quite that way；'' he went on。 ‘‘I got Mrs。 Brindley to exact a promise from you that you'd let her know about yourself。 I called on Mrs。 Belloc one day when you were out； and gave her my confidence and got hers and assured myself that you were in good hands。 Crossley's tale gave mea shock。 I came at once。''
‘‘Then you didn't abandon me to my fate； as I thought？''
He smiled in his strange way。 ‘‘I？when I loved you？ Hardly。''
‘‘Then you did interest yourself in me because you caredprecisely as I said；'' laughed she。
‘‘And I should have given you up if you had succeededprecisely as I said；'' replied he。
‘‘You wished me to fail？''
‘‘I wished you to fail。 I did everything I could to help you to succeed。 I even left you absolutely alone； set you in the right waythe only way in which anyone can win success。''
‘‘Yes； you made me throw away the crutches and try to walk。''
‘‘It was hard to do that。 Those strains are very wearing at my time of life。''
‘‘You never were any younger； and you'll never be any older；'' laughed she。 ‘‘That's your charmone of them。''
‘‘Mildred； do you still care？''
‘‘How did you know？'' inquired she mockingly。
‘‘You didn't try to conceal it。 I'd not have ventured to say and do the things I said and did if I hadn't felt that we cared for each other。 But； so long as you were leading that fatuous life and dreaming those foolish dreams； I knew we could never be happy。''
‘‘That is trueoh； SO true；'' replied she。
‘‘But nowyou have tried； and that has made a woman of you。 And you have failed； and that has made you ready to be a wifeto be happy in the quiet； private ways。''
She was silent。
‘‘I can make enough for us bothas much as we will need or wantas much as you please； if you aren't too extravagant。 And I can do it easily。 It's making little sumsa small incomethat's hard in this ridiculous world。 Let's marry； go to California or Europe for several