nd he had noticed that Alston and his wife were nearly
always in agreement.

"What was the match that fired you, Alston?" he asked, looking at the
big lad--he looked little more than a lad--good-naturedly.

"Well, I always wanted to sing, of course. But I think it was
Crayford."

He puffed almost furiously at his cigar.

"Crayford's a marvellous man. He'll lick the Metropolitan crowd yet.
He's going to make me."

"You mean you're going to make yourself?" interrupted Claude.

"Takes two to do it!"

Again he looked over to Charmian.

"Without Crayford I should never have believed I could be a big opera
singer. As it is, I mean to be. And, what is more, I know I shall be.
Now, Claude, old fellow, don't get on your hind legs, but just listen to
me. Every man needs help when he's a kid, needs somebody who
knows--_knows_, mind you--to put him in the right way. What is wanted
nowadays is operatic stuff, first-rate operatic stuff. Now, look here,
I'm going to speak out straight, and that's all there is to it. I wanted
Crayford to hear your big things"--Claude shifted in his chair,
stretched out his legs and drew them up--"I told him about them and how
strong they were. 'What subjects does he treat?' he said. I told him. At
least, I began to tell him. 'Oh, Lord!' he said, stopping me on the
nail--but you know how busy he is. He can't waste time. And he's out for
the goods, you know--'Oh, Lord!' he said. 'Don't bother me with the
Bible. The time for oratorio has gone to join Holy Moses!' I tried to
explain that your stuff was no more like old-fashioned oratorio than
Chicago is like Stratford-on-Avon, but he wouldn't listen. All he said
was, 'Gone to join Holy Moses, my boy! Tell that chap Heath to bring me
a good opera and I'll make him more famous than Sennier. For I know how
to run him, or any man that can produce the goods, twice as well as
Sennier's run.' There, old chap! I've given it you straight. Look what a
success we've had with the song!"

"And _I_ found him that!" Charmian could not help saying quickly.

"Find him a first-rate libretto, Mrs. Charmian! I'll tell you what, I
know a lot of fellows in Paris who write. Suppose you and I run over to
Paris--"

"Would you let me, Claudie?" she interrupted.

"Oh!" he said, laughing, but without much mirth. "Do whatever you like,
my children. You make me feel as if I know nothing about myself, nothing
at all."

"Weren't you one of the best orchestral pupils at t