us' knew
somebody I'd like was in here soon's I got that smell."

"Oh, Freddy, I like you, too! But I've got to hurry now. Good-bye. And
thanks so much, dear."

She started out the door.

"Oh, gee! I can't go to bed!" Freddy wailed.

"Come along, then!" cried Madame d'Avala, impetuously seizing his
hand. "I'll make them let you go to the concert. They must!"

They ran down the hall together hand in hand, Freddy directing the way
to the Misses Blair's study. Miss Eva and Miss Nellie and Mary were
there, and they looked at Freddy compassionately. And though Miss Eva
said it was most unusual, Miss Nellie agreed to Madame d'Avala's
request.

"For," said gentle Miss Nellie, drawing Madame d'Avala aside and
lowering her voice--"for we are very sorry for Freddy now. His
mother----"

"Oh, yes, she has gone to England."

"Why, no! She--is dead!"

"Oh, _mio povero bambino_! And how he adores her!"

"Yes."

"And what will he do then?"

"He can stay on here. But I am afraid he doesn't like us," Miss Nellie
sighed.

"Has he no one else?"

"No--that is, a stepfather. But his mother put him here to save him
from the stepfather's abuse, and--and all the coarsening influences of
stage life, if you understand."

"Ah, yes, I understand," said Madame d'Avala. "And yet I think I
understand the little one, too. He and I--we have the same nature. We
cannot breathe in the too-high altitudes. For us there must be dancing
in the valley, laughter and roses, perfume and sunshine--always
sunshine."

"Oh--er--yes," replied Miss Nellie, taken aback by this effusiveness,
which she could only explain as being foreign.

"It's 8:30," said Miss Eva, looking at her watch.

"Ah, then I must fly," cried Madame d'Avala.

"Goo'-bye!" said Freddy wistfully.

"_Au revoir_," said Madame d'Avala, and electrified the Misses Blair
by adding, "See you after the show, kid."

"I am very lonely, too," said Margarita d'Avala after the
concert--"lonely and sad."

"You are?" Freddy cried in amazement. Then, practically, "What about?"

"It's about a man," confessed the lady.

"Aw, g'wan!" exclaimed Freddy incredulously. "Say," lowering his voice
confidentially, "lemme tell you something! They ain't a man on earth
worth crying for."

"How did you know?" asked Margarita.

"Flo--Florette used to say so." Then a cloud passed over his face.
"She used to say so," he added.

There was a moment's silence, while the lady watched him. Then
Fred