ran off the stage triumphant, and the applause seemed
to assail her little figure from all quarters and overwhelm it. As she
stood waiting, concealed behind a group of palms, it suddenly occurred
to her that, after all, she had underestimated herself. She saw her rosy
future as the spoiled darling of continental capitals. The hail of
clapping persisted, and the apparition of Otto violently waved her to
return to the stage. She returned, bowed her passionate exultation with
burning face and trembling knees, and retired. The clapping continued.
Yes, she would be compelled to grant an encore--to _grant_ one. She
would grant it like a honeyed but imperious queen.

Suddenly she heard the warning tap of the conductor's baton; the
applause was hushed as though by a charm, and the orchestra broke into
the overture to 'Zampa.' She could not understand, she could not think.
As she tripped tragically to the artists'-room in her new yellow dress
she said to herself that the conductor must have made some mistake, and
that----

'Very nice, my dear,' said the Lopez kindly to her. 'You got quite a
call--quite a call.'

She waited for Otto to come and talk to her.

At length the Lopez was summoned, and Clarice followed to listen to her.
And when the Lopez had soared with strong practised flight through the
brilliant intricacy of the Shadow Song, Clarice became aware what real
applause sounded like from the stage. It shook the stage as the old
favourite of two generations, wearing her set smile, waddled back to the
debutante. Scores of voices hoarsely shouted 'Encore!' and 'Last Rose
of Summer,' and with a proud sigh the Lopez went on again, bowing.

Clarice saw nothing more of Otto, who doubtless had other birds to
snare. The next day only three daily papers mentioned the concert at
all. In fact, Otto expected press notices but once a week. All three
papers praised the matchless Lopez in her Shadow Song. One referred to
Clarice as talented; another called her well-intentioned; the third
merely said that she had played. The short dream of artistic ascendancy
lay in fragments around her. She was a sensible girl, and stamped those
iridescent fragments into dust.

III

The _Staffordshire Signal_ contained the following advertisement: 'Miss
Clara Toft, solo pianist, of the Otto Autumn Concerts, London, will
resume lessons on the 1st proximo at Liszt House, Turnhill. Terms on
application.' At thirty Clarice married James Sillitoe