to Bedford Street. With the
window open, as he kept it, the noise of the Strand traffic was plainly
audible.

He eyed Joan slowly and methodically; then his glance turned back to
Fanny. "What can she do?" he asked heavily.

"Oh, everything," Fanny answered with a little gasp; "and she can share
my dressing-room and all that."

"Humph!" grunted the man; once more his small, shrewd eyes travelled all
over Joan.

"Well, perhaps, she will do." He agreed finally, "Mind you are in time
at the station to-morrow. Cut along now, girls, I am busy."

Fanny was jubilant all the way home. "I thought I should be able to work
it," she bubbled; "it will be fun, honey, to-morrow we are due at
Tonbridge and the tour ends at Sevenoaks. All little places this time.
But mind you, it is the first rung of the ladder for you. Brown's is a
good company to start with. _Country Girl_, _Merry Widow_, _Waltz
Dream_." She ticked them all off on her fingers one by one. "You are
glad about it, aren't you?" she broke off suddenly to ask.

"Of course I am glad," Joan answered quickly, "and it is sweet of you to
have got it for me. Perhaps I am a little nervous; it strikes me one
might get very frightened of Mr. Brown."

"What, Daddy? He is all right if you know how to manage him, and he
won't bother you." Fanny took a quick look at her. "You aren't his
sort."

Was she really glad? Joan pondered the matter over when Fanny had at
last betaken herself to her own room. At any rate she had, as it were,
burnt her boats. She had left the _Evening Herald_, she had told Mrs.
Carew to sublet her rooms. At least it would be good to get away from
London for a bit.

Mrs. Carew had been quite frank and decided in her views on the subject.

"For a young lady like you to go off with the likes of 'er," this
referred to Fanny, "it hardly seems seemly to me, Miss. Not that Miss
Bellairs ain't all right in her own way, but it is not your way. Mark my
words, Miss, you will regret it."

"And if I do," Joan had answered, "I can always leave and come back
here, can't I, Mrs. Carew? I am sure you will always do your best to put
me up even if this room is let."

"If I have a corner; Miss, you shall 'ave it and welcome. Nice and quiet
young lady you have always been, and I know something of young ladies, I
do."

It was evident, even in her efforts to be polite, that she considered
Joan's present line of action to be one of deterioration. Was it, after
all, a wi