of being agreeable, smiled pleasantly and spoke in a most melodious
voice.

"Are you the new pupil?" she asked, apparently less from curiosity than
a desire to break the silence. "I have heard that Madame was expecting
someone recommended by Milano, but since she didn't tell me any more
than just that much, I may be mistaken."

Patricia eagerly assured her that she was indeed the expected student,
adding a rather anxious question as to the manner of instructor she was
to have in Madame Tancredi.

The girl laughed a tinkling laugh which showed her faultless little
white teeth and waved her hand in quite the foreign manner.

"Tancredi is very well as teachers go," she said with an indifference
that seemed superhuman to the quivering Patricia, who immediately set
her up in her mind as authority on matters musical.

"I've never studied before," she confessed, with a tinge of confusion.
"I am afraid Madame will find me awfully stupid."

The girl looked at her with a lightening of her amiable, indifferent
air. "Are you really so very young as all that?" she asked in some
surprise. "You look very childish in this dim light, but I thought you
must be old enough to have studied somewhere before this. Tancredi
doesn't usually take rank amateurs."

Patrica felt very small indeed before this calm criticism, but she
confessed bravely, though with flushing cheeks. "I am past seventeen,"
she said resolutely. "And I've been waiting six months to begin study."

And then at the encouraging look on the other's face she rushed into a
rather jumbled account of her aspirations, her trials and lastly her
disappointment of yesterday in being refused admittance at Artemis Lodge
on the score of lack of room.

The girl listened closely, and Patricia thought she nodded approval at
the names of Bruce Hayden and Greycroft, and showed a keener interest
when Milano's visit to Rockham was hastily mentioned. She made few
comments, however, and when the gong rang, rose to go into the studio
with graceful alacrity.

At the threshold she paused to say, "If you are here when I come out, I
should like to see you again," and then with a return of her amiable,
indifferent air, she passed into the inner sanctum, leaving the
impulsive Patricia worshiping at her shrine.

Some sounds of liquid melody found their way out through the heavy
doors, and helped to make the tedious half hour pass like magic.
Patricia was thankful she had made a mistake in