reconciliation, of mourning over lost illusions. The second epoch of his
life, if a second epoch were really to develop from this beginning, was
not like the first, full of innocence and based upon illusions. Frederick
was sorry for himself. He was moved almost to tears. For it is an all-too
strong faith, an all-too certain hope in happiness that finally bring
disillusionment.

It was in one of the intervals of clapping and applause punctuating the
end of each of Brambilla's songs, that Petronilla came in and whispered
something to Willy Snyders, which caused Willy in turn to whisper to
Frederick, who immediately jumped up and left the room. Willy went with
him.

Despite Petronilla's protestations, a gentleman and a stately, rather
gorgeously dressed lady had forced their way into Ingigerd's room.
Frederick and Willy arrived just as the lady was trying to wake Ingigerd
and raise her up in bed.

"For Heaven's sake, child," she kept saying, "wake up for a second."

Frederick and Willy recognised Webster and Forster's agent and
immediately expelled him to the hall, talking to him in whispers, but
none the less energetically. They told him a few forceful things, which
he received with a shrug of his shoulders. When they asked the lady by
what right she had forced her way in, she said she was the proprietor of
one of the largest New York theatrical agencies and had negotiated the
contract between Webster and Forster and Ingigerd Hahlstroem's father, who
had received a thousand dollars in advance.

"Time is money, especially here in New York," she declared. "Even if Miss
Hahlstroem cannot dance to-night, she must begin to think of to-morrow. I
should be willing to accommodate her, but this is only one of a hundred
cases that I have to look after. And if Miss Hahlstroem is to appear
to-morrow, she must go with me this very minute to"--she mentioned the
Gerson of New York--"so that they can work on her costume over night. The
establishment is on Broadway, and a cab is waiting in front of the door."

The lady said all this in Ingigerd's room, intentionally refraining from
lowering her voice. Several times Frederick and Willy interrupted to ask
her to moderate her tones.

"Miss Hahlstroem will not dance at all," said Frederick, finally.

"Indeed?" said the agent. "Then she'll be involved in a very unpleasant
law suit."

"Miss Hahlstroem is a minor," said Frederick, "and her father, with whom
you concluded the contract,