d in at eleven-thirty to hear her lesson. After
the lesson the young man took Bowers off to lunch with him, and Bowers
liked good food when another man paid for it. He encouraged Fred's
visits, and Thea soon saw that Fred knew exactly why.

One morning, after her lesson, Ottenburg turned to Bowers. "If you'll
lend me Miss Thea, I think I have an engagement for her. Mrs. Henry
Nathanmeyer is going to give three musical evenings in April, first
three Saturdays, and she has consulted me about soloists. For the first
evening she has a young violinist, and she would be charmed to have Miss
Kronborg. She will pay fifty dollars. Not much, but Miss Thea would meet
some people there who might be useful. What do you say?"

Bowers passed the question on to Thea. "I guess you could use the fifty,
couldn't you, Miss Kronborg? You can easily work up some songs."

Thea was perplexed. "I need the money awfully," she said frankly; "but I
haven't got the right clothes for that sort of thing. I suppose I'd
better try to get some."

Ottenburg spoke up quickly, "Oh, you'd make nothing out of it if you
went to buying evening clothes. I've thought of that. Mrs. Nathanmeyer
has a troop of daughters, a perfect seraglio, all ages and sizes. She'll
be glad to fit you out, if you aren't sensitive about wearing kosher
clothes. Let me take you to see her, and you'll find that she'll arrange
that easily enough. I told her she must produce something nice, blue or
yellow, and properly cut. I brought half a dozen Worth gowns through the
customs for her two weeks ago, and she's not ungrateful. When can we go
to see her?"

"I haven't any time free, except at night," Thea replied in some
confusion.

"To-morrow evening, then? I shall call for you at eight. Bring all your
songs along; she will want us to give her a little rehearsal, perhaps.
I'll play your accompaniments, if you've no objection. That will save
money for you and for Mrs. Nathanmeyer. She needs it." Ottenburg
chuckled as he took down the number of Thea's boarding-house.

The Nathanmeyers were so rich and great that even Thea had heard of
them, and this seemed a very remarkable opportunity. Ottenburg had
brought it about by merely lifting a finger, apparently. He was a beer
prince sure enough, as Bowers had said.

The next evening at a quarter to eight Thea was dressed and waiting in
the boarding-house parlor. She was nervous and fidgety and found it
difficult to sit still on the hard,