nder man with bright hair
tossed back over a finely shaped head came into the artistes' room,
carrying in his hand a violin-case which he deposited on the table with
as much care as though it were a baby. He shook hands with Olga
Lermontof, and then Baroni swept him into his net.

"Kirolski, let me present you to Miss Quentin. She will one day stand
amongst singers where you stand amongst the world's violinists."

Kirolski bowed, and glanced smilingly from Baroni to Diana.

"I've no doubt Miss Quentin will do more than that," he said. "A
friend of mine heard her sing at Miss de Gervais' reception not long
ago, and he has talked of nothing else ever since. I am very pleased
to meet you, Miss Quentin." And he bowed again.

Diana was touched by the simple, unaffected kindness of the two great
artistes who were to assist at her recital. It surprised her a little;
she had anticipated the disparaging, almost inimical attitude towards a
new star so frequently credited to professional musicians, and had
steeled herself to meet it with indifference. She forgot that when you
are at the top of the tree there is little cause for envy or
heart-burning, and graciousness becomes an easy habit. It is in the
struggle to reach the top that the ugly passions leap into life.

Presently there came sounds of clapping from the body of the hall; some
of the audience were growing impatient, and the news that there was a
packed house filtered into the artistes' room. Almost as in a dream
Diana watched Kirolski lift his violin from its cushiony bed and run
his fingers lightly over the strings in a swift arpeggio. Then he
tightened his bow and rubbed the resin along its length of hair, while
Olga Lermontof looked through a little pile of music for the duet for
violin and piano with which the recital was to commence.

The outbreaks of clapping from in front grew more persistent,
culminating in a veritable roar of welcome as Kirolski led the pianist
on to the platform. Then came a breathless, expectant silence, broken
at last by the stately melody of the first movement.

To Diana it seemed as though the duet were very quickly over, and
although the applause and recalls were persistent, no encore was given.
Then she saw Olga Lermontof mounting the platform steps preparatory to
accompanying Kirolski's solo, and with a sudden violent reaction from
her calm composure she realised that the following item on the
programme must be the fir