she chose to stay; she had to stay--or
lose everything. The next few months would put her five years ahead, or
would put her back so far that it would be of no use to struggle
further. As soon as she was free, she would go to Moonstone and take her
mother back to Germany with her. Her mother, she was sure, could live
for years yet, and she would like German people and German ways, and
could be hearing music all the time. Thea said she was writing her
mother and begging her to help her one last time; to get strength and to
wait for her six months, and then she (Thea) would do everything. Her
mother would never have to make an effort again.

Dr. Archie went up to Moonstone at once. He had great confidence in Mrs.
Kronborg's power of will, and if Thea's appeal took hold of her enough,
he believed she might get better. But when he was shown into the
familiar room off the parlor, his heart sank. Mrs. Kronborg was lying
serene and fateful on her pillows. On the dresser at the foot of her bed
there was a large photograph of Thea in the character in which she was
to make her debut. Mrs. Kronborg pointed to it.

"Isn't she lovely, doctor? It's nice that she hasn't changed much. I've
seen her look like that many a time."

They talked for a while about Thea's good fortune. Mrs. Kronborg had had
a cablegram saying, "First performance well received. Great relief." In
her letter Thea said; "If you'll only get better, dear mother, there's
nothing I can't do. I will make a really great success, if you'll try
with me. You shall have everything you want, and we will always be
together. I have a little house all picked out where we are to live."

"Bringing up a family is not all it's cracked up to be," said Mrs.
Kronborg with a flicker of irony, as she tucked the letter back under
her pillow. "The children you don't especially need, you have always
with you, like the poor. But the bright ones get away from you. They
have their own way to make in the world. Seems like the brighter they
are, the farther they go. I used to feel sorry that you had no family,
doctor, but maybe you're as well off."

"Thea's plan seems sound to me, Mrs. Kronborg. There's no reason I can
see why you shouldn't pull up and live for years yet, under proper care.
You'd have the best doctors in the world over there, and it would be
wonderful to live with anybody who looks like that." He nodded at the
photograph of the young woman who must have been singing "DICH,