s Dorothy's lessons vill go for naught,
if she does not seek a time und place to exploit her talents. There
is open for her a career of great prominence--of dat I am very sure,
but to attain de pinnacle of success, she must first go a few steps
above de middle rounds of de ladder. Mr. Ludlow has a good
proposition to make to her, und one dat meets with my hearty
approval. I beg of you, Mrs. Calvert, listen carefully to vhat he has
to say, und deliberate before you give him an answer."

"If Dorothy's welfare is at stake I shall listen, of course; I should
have listened, anyway, but with some prejudice, I will admit. I
cannot see where it will do my niece any great good to become a stage
celebrity, but if Mr. Ludlow can convince me, I stand ready to
acknowledge my error."

"I am sure that is fair enough," said Mr. Ludlow, smiling genially.
He had a pleasant personality--refined, even striking in the more
serious moments, and Aunt Betty felt attracted to him the instant he
began to speak.

"A career for your niece, Mrs. Calvert--a professional career--under
proper management, is distinctly the proper thing for her. I heard
her play at Herr Deichenberg's concert here last fall, and knew at
once that she had an exceptional amount of talent, which, if
fostered, under the Herr's careful methods, would make of her one of
the musical wonders of the age. It was then I made my offer--which
was merely a tentative one--to Miss Calvert, not meaning to in any
way override your authority, but merely for the purpose of sounding
her out and winning a promise that she would give me an option on her
services, provided she decided to adopt the concert stage as a
career."

"She told me of her conversation with you," returned Aunt Betty, "and
I am free to admit that I was prejudiced against it."

"You were also prejudiced against riding fast in Gerald's automobile,
auntie," said Dorothy, smiling. "But Gerald overcame that just as Mr.
Ludlow is going to try to overcome this."

"From speeding in an automobile, to adopting the concert stage as a
career, is a far cry, my dear," returned Aunt Betty, rather severely,
Dorothy thought.

Had she known what was passing in her relative's mind, however, the
girl would not for a moment have condemned her. Had she known, for
instance, that Aunt Betty's prejudice against the stage as a career
was not at the bottom of her refusal, but the fact that she feared
Dorothy would be taken away from her in