we should all be so
happy. Only think how proud we should be of your success, for you know
there is nothing you can't do in the way of music if you really want
to."

"Do you really think so?" exclaimed he, while his eyes suddenly grew
large and luminous.

"Indeed I do," said Edith, emphatically.

"And if--if I played well," faltered he, "would it really please you?"

"Of course it would," cried Edith, laughing; "how can you ask such a
foolish question?"

"Because I hardly dared to believe it."

"Now listen to me," continued the girl, leaning forward in her chair,
and beaming all over with kindly officiousness; "now for once you must
be rational and do just what I tell you. I shall never like you again if
you oppose me in this, for I have set my heart upon it; you must promise
beforehand that you will be good and not make any objection. Do you
hear?"

When Edith assumed this tone toward him, she might well have made him
promise to perform miracles. She was too intent upon her benevolent
scheme to heed the possible inferences which he might draw from her
sudden display of interest.

"Then you promise?" repeated she, eagerly, as he hesitated to answer.

"Yes, I promise."

"Now, you must not be surprised; but mamma and I have made arrangements
with Mr. S---- that you are to appear under his auspices at a concert
which is to be given a week from to-night. All our friends are going,
and we shall take up all the front seats, and I have already told my
gentlemen friends to scatter through the audience, and if they care
anything for my favor, they will have to applaud vigorously."

Halfdan reddened up to his temples, and began to twist his watch-chain
nervously.

"You must have small confidence in my ability," he murmured, "since you
resort to precautions like these."

"But my dear Mr. Birch," cried Edith, who was quick to discover that she
had made a mistake, "it is not kind in you to mistrust me in that way.
If a New York audience were as highly cultivated in music as you are,
I admit that my precautions would be superfluous. But the papers, you
know, will take their tone from the audience, and therefore we must make
use of a little innocent artifice to make sure of it. Everything depends
upon the success of your first public appearance, and if your friends
can in this way help you to establish the reputation which is nothing
but your right, I am sure you ought not to bind their hands by your
foolish sensitiv