t seems to me to be an
Elgar subject."

"Really!"

The conversation dropped, and was not resumed. But a fortnight later,
when Charmian came to make tea in the studio, and asked as to the
progress of the new work, Claude said rather coldly:

"I'm not going on with it at present."

She saw that he was feeling depressed, and realized why. But she was
secretly triumphant at the success of her influence, secretly delighted
with her own cleverness. How deftly, with scarcely more than a word, she
had turned him from his task. Surely thus had Madame Sennier influenced,
guided her husband.

"I believe I could do anything with Claude," she said to herself that
day.

"Play me your Watson song again, Claudie," she said. "I do love it so."

"It's only a trifle."

"I love it!" she repeated.

He sat down at the piano and played it to her once more. When he had
finished she said:

"I've found someone who could sing that gloriously."

"Who?" he asked.

Playing the song had excited him. He turned eagerly toward her.

"A young American who has been studying in Paris. I met him at the
Drakes' two or three days ago. Mr. Jacob Crayford, the opera man, thinks
a great deal of him, I'm told. Let me ask him to come here one day and
try the _Wild Heart_. May I?"

"Yes, do," said Claude.

"And meanwhile what are you working on instead of _The Hound of
Heaven_?"

Claude's expression changed. He seemed to stiffen with reserve. But he
replied, with a kind of elaborate carelessness:

"I think of trying a violin concerto. That would be quite a new
departure for me. But you know the violin was my second study at the
Royal College."

"That won't do," thought Charmian.

"If only Kreisler would take it up when it is finished as he took up--"
she began.

Claude interrupted her.

"It may take me months, so it's no use thinking about who is to play it.
Probably it will never be played at all."

"Then why compose it?" she nearly said.

But she did not say it. What was the use, when she had resolved that the
concerto should be abandoned as _The Hound of Heaven_ had been?

She brought the young American, whose name was Alston Lake, to the
studio. Claude took a fancy to him at once. Lake sang the _Wild Heart_,
tried it a second time, became enthusiastic about it. His voice was a
baritone, and exactly suited the song. He begged Claude to let him sing
the song during the season at the parties for which he was engaged. They
studied