om my Uncle Seth," said Dorothy, "and I prize it
very highly, aside from its actual value."

"Und so you should--so you should," said the Herr. "Come,
now,"--moving toward the piano. "You read your music of course?"

Dorothy admitted that she did.

The Herr, sitting on the stool before the large, old-fashioned
instrument, struck a chord.

"Tune your instrument with me, und we vill try something you know
vell. I shall then be able to judge both of your execution und your
tone. There iss de chord. Ah! now you are ready? All right. Shall we
try de 'Miserere' from 'Il Trovatore?' I see you have it here."

Dorothy nodded assent.

Then, from somewhere in his pocket, Herr Deichenberg produced a small
baton, and with this flourished in his right hand, his left striking
the chords on the piano, he gave the signal to play.

Her violin once under her chin, the bow grasped firmly in her hand,
what nervousness Dorothy had felt, quickly vanished. She forgot the
Herr professor, Aunt Betty--everything but the music before her.
Delicately, timidly, she drew her bow across the strings, then, when
the more strenuous parts of the Miserere were reached, she gathered
boldness, swaying to the rhythm of the notes, until a light of
positive pleasure dawned in Herr Deichenberg's eyes.

"Ah!" he murmured, his ear bent toward her, as if to miss a single
note would be a rare penance. "Ah, dat iss fine--fine!"

Suddenly, then, he dropped his baton, and fell into the accompaniment
of the famous piece, his hands moving like lightning over the keys of
the piano.

Such music Aunt Betty vowed she had never heard before.

With a grand flourish the Herr and Dorothy wound up the Miserere, and
turned toward their interested listener for approval. And this Aunt
Betty bestowed with a lavish hand.

"I am proud indeed to know you and to have you for a pupil," the
music master said, turning to Dorothy. "You have an excellent touch
and your execution iss above reproach, considering de lessons you
have had. I am sure ve shall have no trouble in making of you a great
musician."

Flushing, partly from her exertions, partly through the rare
compliment the great professor had paid her ability, the girl turned
to Aunt Betty and murmured:

"Oh, auntie, dear, I'm so glad!"

"And I am delighted," said Aunt Betty. "That is positively the most
entrancing music I have ever heard."

Herr Deichenberg showed his teeth in a hearty laugh.

"She shall vait un