d Fritz beamed.

"Ein grand chance, Mees Hutton, an' der great luck you haf, und it vas
mein alretty yet," he said, "und you vill got de people crazy mit your
blayin', und I vas your teacher!"

And he came near then and there going down on his knees and declaring
his passion.

When Mona reached her home she was flushed and trembling with
excitement. "Oh, father," she said to Jess, "they want me to play at the
theatre, and to come to-morrow to try it with no one there; and he wants
my picture, and I am scared half to death," which incoherent speech can
easily be excused.

"I don't approve on't an' never have," said her mother, severely. "It
ain't a girl's place to be fiddlin', an' 'fore people at that. I don't
believe in it."

"Now, Letty," answered Jess, pleasantly, "don't go to discouragin' the
gal first go-off. We've threshed that straw all over long 'go, 'n' don't
say no more. The time'll cum, 'n' soon, too, when ye'll feel mighty
proud of Mona. We'll fix ye up, girlie," he added, addressing her, "with
one of them low-cut gowns,--not too low, but jist nice 'n'
modestlike,--'n' we'll both o' us be thar to take keer on ye an' fetch
flowers home fer ye." And that subject was disposed of.

But Mona scarce closed her eyes in sleep that night, and when, with
Jess and her teacher to care for her, she entered the stage door of the
Alhambra at ten the next day, a new world opened before her.

Its entrance was a tangle of painted scenery, beautiful on one side,
dirty and tobacco-stained on the other. A dozen stage carpenters and
helpers were at work with hats on, and never even looked at her. The
stage seemed a cold, cheerless barn, as large as the seating part, and a
chaos of stage properties of all sorts and shapes. A flat, painted tree
leaned against a piano, on top of which was a wooden rock. A roll of
carpet lay across a desk, and a coil of dirty rope and an imitation
fireplace were on top of an elegant sofa.

Then the manager appeared, coatless, but with hat on.

"Ah, good morning, Miss Hutton," he said, not even noticing Fritz or her
uncle; "glad to see you, though it's a little early. Look around and
make yourself at home, or I'll show you to a dressing room. We will hear
you play presently."

And glad to escape from the cheerless spot, Mona signified that she
would wait his bidding in a private room.

It was a half-hour ere he appeared, and Mona's stage training began.

She was instructed how to step ou