k the
house. Esther then wondered why she only felt dreadfully tired and had a
childish disposition to cry as the great maestro led her off the stage.

But when the girl returned for her encore she was smiling, and her
cheeks were more flushed than ever in her life. And in her hands she
held a great bunch of pink roses which had mysteriously appeared in her
dressing room. And this time she allowed herself to glance smilingly at
Betty and Polly and Mrs. Ashton and even to exchange a single quiet
glance with Richard Ashton.

Then to the surprise, to the mystification and yet to the pleasure of
her listeners, Esther sang the verses which had first touched Betty
Ashton's heart and inspired her ardor on that day long ago, the song
that is to remain an inspiration to many thousands of women for many
years to come, the Camp Fire song of "The Soul's Desire."

"Lay me to sleep in sheltering flame,
O Master of the Hidden Fire.
Wash pure my heart, and cleanse for me
My soul's desire.

"In flame of sunrise bathe my mind,
O Master of the Hidden Fire,
That, when I wake, clear-eyed may be
My soul's desire."

And ten minutes after the finishing of this second song Esther, Betty
and Richard Ashton were driving to their old pension where the entire
party was to spend the night, Mrs. Ashton, Polly and Miss Adams meaning
to join them when the concert was over.

And in the carriage, again it was Esther who seemed quiet and composed,
while between tears and laughter Betty poured forth her joy and pride in
her sister's wonderful success.

CHAPTER XIX

Tea at the Castle

Several days after Esther's concert Lieutenant von Reuter persuaded Mrs.
Ashton and Miss Adams to bring Betty and Polly with them to afternoon
tea at the castle with his father. And as Anthony Graham, not knowing
their plans, had come from Berlin for a farewell visit on the same day,
he of course was included in the little company. Esther had been urged
and had almost promised to be one of them, but when the morning of the
party arrived she had pleaded to be excused. Immediately then Polly and
Betty had both insisted that she change her mind and had tried coaxing
and scolding and almost every possible form of influence until at last
Mrs. Ashton had come to her rescue. For Esther had been extremely tired
since her _debut_ and very unlike herself both girls considered. Indeed,
they even went further in thinking that