ought poor little Nan Graham must
have stolen that wretched money of mine, when I had only lost it in the
woods and Polly had discovered it. Dick says that Anthony Graham told
him Nan has a fine position as a teacher of domestic science in a high
school in Dartmouth. And it seems that his father has reformed and gone
to work and the whole family now is quite different. Anthony gives all
the credit of the changes to Nan and Nan ascribes them to what she
learned in our Camp Fire club at Sunrise Hill. It is lovely to think
that may be true, isn't it?"

"Yes, and even better to reflect that Betty Ashton originated the club,"
Esther returned.

"Yes, and that Esther suggested the idea to her by singing an exquisite
song and then with her own hands starting a fire," Betty added.

So the two girls talked on fitfully while the train carried them swiftly
onward toward the great German city.

The concert was to be held in a small opera house close to one of the
more fashionable avenues. It was an old building, but was considered a
particularly fine one for musical purposes. And immediately upon their
arrival Mrs. Ashton and Betty went with Esther to remain in her dressing
room until a short time before her appearance.

Dick Ashton, Miss Adams and Polly had a box reserved for them near the
stage, where Betty and Mrs. Ashton were to join them. But before they
appeared Anthony Graham in immaculate evening clothes came around to
the box door to extend his greetings to Polly, and Dick insisted that he
be one of their party. And five minutes afterwards Lieutenant von Reuter
also joined them, Betty having invited him several days before.

The concert was to be a serious musical affair commencing with the
playing of a stringed orchestra led by the great Professor Hecksher
himself. And as Polly had never seen him before, she amused herself
while waiting for Betty's return and fighting off her own apprehensions
about Esther by never taking her eyes from the great man's face. He must
have weighed two hundred and fifty pounds and yet had the face of a
glorified cherub. His hair was long and light, hanging down to his
shoulders and he wore spectacles over his burning, heavy-lidded brown
eyes.

The first singer on the program was supposed to be the famous teacher's
star pupil. But because she seemed old and ugly to Polly O'Neill and
because the girl could hardly wait for her own friend to be heard, she
took little interest in the really