s
gets ten dollars for singing at funerals. Miss Kronborg has a
sympathetic voice, and I think there would be a good deal of demand for
her at funerals. Several American churches apply to me for a soloist on
such occasions, and I could help her to pick up quite a little money
that way."

This sounded lugubrious to Dr. Archie, who had a physician's dislike of
funerals, but he tried to accept the suggestion cordially.

"Miss Kronborg tells me she is having some trouble getting located," Mr.
Larsen went on with animation, still holding his violin. "I would advise
her to keep away from boarding-houses altogether. Among my parishioners
there are two German women, a mother and daughter. The daughter is a
Swede by marriage, and clings to the Swedish Church. They live near
here, and they rent some of their rooms. They have now a large room
vacant, and have asked me to recommend some one. They have never taken
boarders, but Mrs. Lorch, the mother, is a good cook,--at least, I am
always glad to take supper with her,--and I think I could persuade her
to let this young woman partake of the family table. The daughter, Mrs.
Andersen, is musical, too, and sings in the Mozart Society. I think they
might like to have a music student in the house. You speak German, I
suppose?" he turned to Thea.

"Oh, no; a few words. I don't know the grammar," she murmured.

Dr. Archie noticed that her eyes looked alive again, not frozen as they
had looked all morning. "If this fellow can help her, it's not for me to
be stand-offish," he said to himself.

"Do you think you would like to stay in such a quiet place, with
old-fashioned people?" Mr. Larsen asked. "I shouldn't think you could
find a better place to work, if that's what you want."

"I think mother would like to have me with people like that," Thea
replied. "And I'd be glad to settle down most anywhere. I'm losing
time."

"Very well, there's no time like the present. Let us go to see Mrs.
Lorch and Mrs. Andersen."

The minister put his violin in its case and caught up a black-and-white
checked traveling-cap that he wore when he rode his high Columbia wheel.
The three left the church together.

II

SO Thea did not go to a boarding-house after all. When Dr. Archie left
Chicago she was comfortably settled with Mrs. Lorch, and her happy
reunion with her trunk somewhat consoled her for his departure.

Mrs. Lorch and her daughter lived half a mile from the Swedish Reform
Church,