music pupil meant everything. An American child, too!
Fond as Harmony was of children, the sedate and dignified youngsters who
walked the parks daily with a governess, or sat with folded hands and
fixed eyes through hours of heavy music at the opera, rather daunted
her. They were never alone, those Austrian children--always under
surveillance, always restrained, always prepared to kiss the hand of
whatever relative might be near and to take themselves of to anywhere so
it were somewhere else.

"I am so glad you are going to talk to me about an American child," said
Harmony, bringing in the tea.

But Mrs. Boyer was not so sure she was going to talk about the American
child. She was not sure of anything, except that the household looked
most irregular, and that Peter Byrne was trying to cover a difficult
situation with much conversation. He was almost glib, was Peter. The tea
was good; that was one thing.

She sat back with her muff on her knee, having refused the concession
of putting it on a chair as savoring too much of acceptance if not
approval, and sipped her tea out of a spoon as becomes a tea-lover.
Peter, who loathed tea, lounged about the room, clearly in the way, but
fearful to leave Harmony alone with her. She was quite likely, at the
first opportunity, to read her a lesson on the conventions, if nothing
worse; to upset the delicate balance of the little household he was
guarding. So he stayed, praying for Anna to come and bear out his story,
while Harmony toyed with her spoon and waited for some mention of the
lessons. None came. Mrs. Boyer, having finished her tea, rose and put
down her cup.

"That was very refreshing," she said. "Where shall I find the
street-car? I walked out, but it is late."

"I'll take you to the car." Peter picked up his old hat.

"Thank you. I am always lost in this wretched town. I give the
conductors double tips to put me down where I want to go; but how can
they when it is the wrong car?" She bowed to Harmony without shaking
hands. "Thank you for the tea. It was really good. Where do you get it?"

"There is a tea-shop a door or two from the Grand Hotel."

"I must remember that. Thank you again. Good-bye."

Not a word about the lessons or the American child!

"You said something about my card in the Doctors' Club--"

Something wistful in the girl's eyes caught and held Mrs. Boyer.

After all she was the mother of daughters. She held out her hand and her
voice was not s