said Ritter. Frederick
could honestly deny that he ever had. "Well," Ritter rejoined, "then you
have handled your material like a man who has art in his blood. To judge
by this first attempt, it seems to me you have merely been waiting for
the clay and the clay has been waiting for you."

"We'll see," said Frederick, and added, "Unfortunately there is a serious
drawback. The saying is that all beginnings are difficult. My former
experiences lead me to believe that with me the reverse is generally
true. As a rule I win the first and second round of chess, or cards, or
billiards, and lose in the end. I succeeded at first in my practice and
my bacteriological researches. If I write a book, only the first and
second chapters are worth anything."

The artists refused to believe this, though there was a grain of truth
in what he said. Nevertheless, Frederick left the studio with them in
a healthier frame of mind than he had been in for years.

But his spirits departed in a measure after he had spoken with Ingigerd
Hahlstroem in the club-house. The girl listened unsympathetically, if not
ironically, to his account of his new occupation. Ritter, Willy and
Lobkowitz were secretly outraged at her disdainful remarks, especially
since they observed that Frederick was still entangled in the girl's
meshes, body and soul.

She told him he must go to Webster and Forster and insist on their
withdrawing a notification which they had sent to the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Since her new contract with Lilienfeld
meant the loss of the money that she was worth to them, they wanted
revenge, at least, and were going to put a spoke in their competitor's
wheel. Ingigerd, beside herself with rage, told Frederick that in the
morning she had had a brief rehearsal in the theatre, and a
representative of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
had announced his intention of attending the rehearsal the next day. She
was bent upon letting her light shine in New York and receiving twofold
homage, the homage of pity and the homage of admiration. Besides, she did
not want to lose the money in prospect. If she were prevented from
appearing in New York, there was no chance for her anywhere in the United
States.

It was useless to oppose the girl's obstinate will. Whether or no, to
his unspoken disgust, Frederick had to perform messenger and handy-man
services for the little star. He rushed from Webster and Forster t