e. I'd rather sing where the people are
pig-headed and throw carrots at you if you don't do it the way they like
it. The house here is splendid, and the night audiences are exciting. I
hate the matinees; like singing at a KAFFEKLATSCH." She rose and turned
on the lights.

"Ah!" Fred exclaimed, "why do you do that? That is a signal that tea is
over." He got up and drew out his gloves.

"Not at all. Shall you be here Saturday night?" She sat down on the
piano bench and leaned her elbow back on the keyboard. "Necker sings
ELIZABETH. Make Dr. Archie go. Everything she sings is worth hearing."

"But she's failing so. The last time I heard her she had no voice at
all. She IS a poor vocalist!"

Thea cut him off. "She's a great artist, whether she's in voice or not,
and she's the only one here. If you want a big voice, you can take my
ORTRUDE of last night; that's big enough, and vulgar enough."

Fred laughed and turned away, this time with decision. "I don't want
her!" he protested energetically. "I only wanted to get a rise out of
you. I like Necker's ELIZABETH well enough. I like your VENUS well
enough, too."

"It's a beautiful part, and it's often dreadfully sung. It's very hard
to sing, of course."

Ottenburg bent over the hand she held out to him. "For an uninvited
guest, I've fared very well. You were nice to let me come up. I'd have
been terribly cut up if you'd sent me away. May I?" He kissed her hand
lightly and backed toward the door, still smiling, and promising to keep
an eye on Archie. "He can't be trusted at all, Thea. One of the waiters
at Martin's worked a Tourainian hare off on him at luncheon yesterday,
for seven twenty-five."

Thea broke into a laugh, the deep one he recognized. "Did he have a
ribbon on, this hare? Did they bring him in a gilt cage?"

"No,"--Archie spoke up for himself,--"they brought him in a brown sauce,
which was very good. He didn't taste very different from any rabbit."

"Probably came from a push-cart on the East Side." Thea looked at her
old friend commiseratingly. "Yes, DO keep an eye on him, Fred. I had no
idea," shaking her head. "Yes, I'll be obliged to you."

"Count on me!" Their eyes met in a gay smile, and Fred bowed himself
out.

VII

ON Saturday night Dr. Archie went with Fred Ottenburg to hear
"Tannhauser." Thea had a rehearsal on Sunday afternoon, but as she was
not on the bill again until Wednesday, she promised to dine with Archie
and Ottenburg on M