Fool that
I am," he went on. "Yes, of course; you have a father, and it is
not----"

At this point Miss Stanton made up her mind that Herr Von Barwig did
not understand English quite as well as he spoke it, for she repeated
rather sharply this time that she was discussing the boy's musical
education, not her own. Then she added that there remained only the
question of terms to discuss and she would detain him no longer.

Von Barwig did not hear her. He could only mutter to himself in
German, "A father, she has a father!" Then he told the boy to call the
next afternoon and he would hear him play. The lad thanked him and
went home to his parents.

After the boy's departure, Miss Stanton repeated her request to be
allowed to discuss the terms for the boy's tuition; and when the music
master made no response she said: "Very well; whatever your charges are
I will pay them."

"There will be none," said Von Barwig decidedly.

"But I wish to defray the entire expense," said Miss Stanton, greatly
mystified at Von Barwig's refusal to receive payment for his work.

"I cannot take money from you," he said.

"Cannot take money from me? I do not understand you!" and Miss Stanton
arose. "Please explain." There was an awkward pause.

Von Barwig saw that he had made a mistake. "I like to help all
children," he said somewhat lamely. "You are engaged in work of
charity; I do my share," he added.

The explanation only partially satisfied her, and she regarded him
doubtfully.

Von Barwig realised now that he had shown himself over-anxious. "I do
something for him, I shall take an interest in him," he said, "because
you brought him here."

"What a strange man!" she thought as she looked at him in surprise. "A
poor, struggling musician with the air and grace of a nobleman
conferring a favour on a lady of his own class!" Then she looked
around the studio with its old-fashioned piano and the stacks of old
music lying about here and there; a violin with one or two bows and
resin boxes in the corner, some music stands, Poons's 'cello case, a
broken metronome; and on the walls some cheap pictures of the old
musicians. In a fit of generosity, Miss Husted had bought them and put
them on the walls. Von Barwig had not the heart to remove them,
although cheap art did not appeal to him.

Miss Stanton looked at them now, and then at him, and a deep feeling of
pity came into her heart. "He has so little," she thought, "yet