disposed to Introduce him into One of the most
Exclusive Homes in the City.

They had known Myrtle for many Years; but they did not dare to Address
her by her First Name, and they were Positive that if Gus attempted any
of his usual Tactics with her she would be Offended; and, naturally
enough, they would be Blamed for bringing him to the House.

But Gus insisted. He said he had seen Myrtle, and she Suited him from
the Ground up, and he proposed to have Friendly Doings with her. At last
they told him they would take him if he promised to Behave. Fred warned
him that Myrtle would frown down any Attempt to be Familiar on Short
Acquaintance, and Eustace said that as long as he had known Myrtle he
had never Presumed to be Free and Forward with her. He had simply played
the Mandolin. That was as Far Along as he had ever got.

Gus told them not to Worry about him. All he asked was a Start. He said
he was a Willing Performer, but as yet he never had been Disqualified
for Crowding. Fred and Eustace took this to mean that he would not
Overplay his Attentions, so they escorted him to the House.

As soon as he had been Presented, Gus showed her where to sit on the
Sofa, then he placed himself about Six Inches away and began to Buzz,
looking her straight in the Eye. He said that when he first saw her he
Mistook her for Miss Prentice, who was said to be the Most Beautiful
Girl in St. Paul, only, when he came closer, he saw that it couldn't be
Miss Prentice, because Miss Prentice didn't have such Lovely Hair. Then
he asked her the Month of her Birth and told her Fortune, thereby coming
nearer to Holding her Hand within Eight Minutes than Eustace had come
in a Lifetime.

[Illustration: THE WILLING PERFORMER]

"Play something, Boys," he Ordered, just as if he had paid them Money to
come along and make Music for him.

They unlimbered their Mandolins and began to play a Sousa March. He
asked Myrtle if she had seen the New Moon. She replied that she had not,
so they went Outside.

When Fred and Eustace finished the first Piece, Gus appeared at the open
Window, and asked them to play "The Georgia Camp-Meeting," which had
always been one of his Favorites.

So they played that, and when they had Concluded there came a Voice from
the Outer Darkness, and it was the Voice of Myrtle. She said: "I'll tell
you what to Play; play the Intermezzo."

Fred and Eustace exchanged Glances. They began to Perceive that they had
been backed into