ey," announced
Tommy, waving triumphantly a piece of paper over her head.

"No!" exclaimed Peter. "How did you manage it?"

"Asked him for it," was Tommy's explanation.

"Very odd," mused Peter; "asked the old idiot for it myself only last
week. He refused it point-blank."

Clodd snorted reproof. "You know I don't like your doing that sort of
thing. It isn't proper for a young girl--"

"It's all right," assured him Tommy; "he's bald!"

"That makes no difference," was Clodd's opinion.

"Yes it does," was Tommy's. "I like them bald."

Tommy took Peter's head between her hands and kissed it, and in doing so
noticed the tell-tale specks of snuff.

"Just a pinch, my dear," explained Peter, "the merest pinch."

Tommy took up the snuff-box from the desk. "I'll show you where I'm
going to put it this time." She put it in her pocket. Peter's face
fell.

"What do you think of it?" said Clodd. He led her to the corner. "Good
idea, ain't it?"

"Why, where's the piano?" demanded Tommy.

Clodd turned in delighted triumph to the others.

"Humbug!" growled Peter.

"It isn't humbug," cried Clodd indignantly. "She thought it was a
bookcase--anybody would. You'll be able to sit there and practise by the
hour," explained Clodd to Tommy. "When you hear anybody coming up the
stairs, you can leave off."

"How can she hear anything when she--" A bright idea occurred to Peter.
"Don't you think, Clodd, as a practical man," suggested Peter
insinuatingly, adopting the Socratic method, "that if we got her one of
those dummy pianos--you know what I mean; it's just like an ordinary
piano, only you don't hear it?"

Clodd shook his head. "No good at all. Can't tell the effect she is
producing."

"Quite so. Then, on the other hand, Clodd, don't you think that hearing
the effect they are producing may sometimes discourage the beginner?"

Clodd's opinion was that such discouragement was a thing to be battled
with.

Tommy, who had seated herself, commenced a scale in contrary motion.

"Well, I'm going across to the printer's now," explained Clodd, taking up
his hat. "Got an appointment with young Grindley at three. You stick to
it. A spare half-hour now and then that you never miss does wonders.
You've got it in you." With these encouraging remarks to Tommy, Clodd
disappeared.

"Easy for him," muttered Peter bitterly. "Always does have an
appointment outside the moment she begins."

Tommy appeared to be