knew that all had gone well with her.

"Dear Miss Pat," she said softly, slipping her arm into Patricia's as
they went out of the wide front door. "So it has all come out well, and
you are really going to be a singer some day! How glad I am that you
have passed this first test."

Patricia was still slightly puzzled, though more confident than she had
been before Tancredi had begun her instructions.

"I've had a mighty lucky day, Norn," she said with real thankfulness.
"I've been put down on the books as a regular pupil at Tancredi's,
and--oh, I forgot all about it--I've had a sort of a chance to go into
Artemis Lodge, though of course I couldn't take it."

Elinor agreed with her after hearing the incident. "Though it is
certainly very sweet of her to be so generous," she said thoughtfully.
"Rosamond Merton, you say her name is. We'll have to ask Doris Leighton
about her."

But, as it happened, they did not have time to put any questions to
Doris Leighton. Rosamond Merton was not the sort of girl who cares to
postpone interesting events. Miss Pat had piqued her fancy and she took
a very determined course to gain her point.

Bruce handed Elinor a note when they reached the studio.

"Messenger boy brought it ten minutes ago," he explained. "Said it was
urgent, but as I didn't know where to find you, I had to leave it till
you came in."

CHAPTER V

ROSAMOND INSISTS

"What is it, Norn?" asked Patricia rather anxiously.

She eyed the note with an unspoken fear that it might be a message from
her new instructor canceling her enrolment, though Elinor's face did not
show any consternation as she swiftly ran her eye over the brief sheet.

"Of all things!" she murmured with an amused smile, and then read more
carefully, breaking into a ripple of laughter as she finished.

"You certainly have charmed this Rosamond Merton, Miss Pat," she said
with a fond look at the amazed Patricia. "Listen to this."

Patricia's look of amazement grew as Elinor read. Rosamond Merton
invited them to tea with her in her rooms that afternoon, very prettily
insisting that the small sister whose name she thought was Julia, might
make one of the party, since it was to be merely a cosy cup of tea to
better acquaintance.

"I must say she writes very agreeably," commented Elinor, scanning the
lines critically.

"That's just what she is--agreeable," declared Patricia, nodding at the
word. "She seems as though she would never take t