ned. "I have been so busy: the
masquerade season is on. The Fraulein is American, is she not?"

"Yes."

"One knows the Americans. They are chic, not like the English. I have
some American customers."

Harmony started. The dressmaker was shrewd. Many people hid in the
sixteenth district. She hastened to reassure the girl.

"They will not disturb you. And just now I have but one, a dancer. I
shall have the room cleaned. Good-bye, Fraulein."

So far, good. She had a refuge now, one spot that the venom of scandal
could not poison, where she could study and work--work hard, although
there could be no more lessons--one spot where Peter would not have to
protect her, where Peter, indeed, would never find her. This thought,
which should have brought comfort, brought only new misery. Peace seemed
dearly bought all at once; shabby, wholesome, hearty Peter, with his
rough hair and quiet voice, his bulging pockets and steady eyes--she was
leaving Peter forever, exchanging his companionship for that of a row
of pigeons on a window-sill. He would find some one, of course; but who
would know that he liked toast made hard and plenty of butter, or to
leave his bed-clothing loose at the foot, Peter being very long and apt
to lop over? The lopping over brought a tear or two. A very teary and
tragic young heroine, this Harmony, prone to go about for the last day
or two with a damp little handkerchief tucked in her sleeve.

She felt her way down the staircase and into the cave below. Fate hangs
by a very slender thread sometimes. If a wagon had not lumbered by as
she reached the lowest step, so that she must wait and thus had time
to lower her veil, she would have been recognized at once by the little
Georgiev, waiting to ascend. But the wagon was there, Harmony lowered
her veil, the little Georgiev, passing a veiled young woman in the
gloom, went up the staircase with even pulses and calm and judicial
bearing, up to the tiny room a floor or two below Harmony's, where he
wrote reports to the Minister of War and mixed them with sonnets--to
Harmony.

Harmony went back to the Siebensternstrasse, having accomplished what
she had set out to do and being very wretched in consequence. Because
she was leaving the boy so soon she strove to atone for her coming
defection by making it a gala evening. The child was very happy. She
tucked him up in the salon, lighted all the candles, served him the
daintiest of suppers there. She brought in the