ound
to be there, for, even while they scoff, they like to keep an eye on
Mrs. Lloyd Avalons for fear she may prove to be worth knowing after they
have snubbed her; so play your best. It may lead to other engagements to
come."

"And the Liszt Rhapsodie?" he asked mournfully.

"Bad, I admit."

"It is detestable. The Rhapsodies are the forlorn hope of artists who
have failed on Beethoven."

"Not so bad as that. Still, there's a way of escape. Announce to your
audience that, by request, you are changing the number from Liszt to
Haydn. I do request it most earnestly."

The boy looked up in admiring relief.

"How is it that such ideas come to you, Mr. Thayer?"

"My Yankee blood, Arlt. Now shall we run over my songs?"

It was characteristic of Thayer that, in consenting to make his American
debut at the recital of Mrs. Lloyd Avalons, he had insisted upon the
condition that he should choose his own assisting artist. How Mrs. Lloyd
Avalons had heard of him in the first place was a mystery which he had
made no effort to solve. From the testimony of several members of the
American colony in Berlin, it appeared that all New York and half of
Boston had heard of Mrs. Lloyd Avalons, who, for three or four seasons
past, had been using her really choice musicales as a species of knocker
upon the portal of New York society. By this time, she had passed the
portal and was disporting herself in the vestibule, with one toe resting
upon the sacred threshold. Socially, she was as yet impossible; but her
recitals had won the reputation of being among the choicest tidbits of
the season's musical feast, for she made up in money what she lacked in
artistic sense, and, thanks to her agent, she had been able to discover
certain new stars before they rose above the horizon. For this reason it
was a distinct honor, Thayer was told, to be bidden to sing for Mrs.
Lloyd Avalons, and therefore Thayer had promptly made up his mind that
Arlt also should have a hearing upon this occasion. The boy already had
decided to come to America. Thayer realized with regret how cold a
welcome the country of his own ancestors was accustomed to extend to
struggling young musicians. Arlt had genius; but he lacked both
influence and initiative. The fight would be a long one, and Arlt's
conquest would be at the expense of many a wound. Teutons are not
necessarily pachyderms, and Arlt was sensitive to a rare degree.

As Arlt's fingers dropped from the keys at th