t at
first, but I see it now. It's no earthly use the artist trying to keep
himself and his talent in cotton wool in these days. If you've got
anything to give the public it doesn't do to be sensitive about what
people say and think. I had a lecture to-night from Crayford on the uses
of advertisement which has quite enlightened me."

"What did he say?" interjected Alston.

"'My boy, if I were producing some goods, and it would help any to let
them think I'd killed my mother, and robbed my father of his last
nickel, d'you think I'd put them right, switch them on to the truth? Not
at all! I'd get them all around me, and I'd say, "See here, boys,
mother's gone to glory, and father's in the poorhouse, but it isn't up
to me to say why. That's my affair. I know I can rely on you all
to--keep my name before the public."'"

Charmian and Alston broke into laughter, but Claude's face continued to
look grave and excited.

"The fact of the matter is that the work has got to come before the
man," he said. "And now we've all got so far in this affair nothing must
be allowed to keep us back from success. Let the papers say whatever
they like so long as they talk about us. Let Madame Sennier rail and
sneer as much as she chooses. It will be all to the good. Crayford told
me so to-night. He said, 'My boy, it shows they're funky. They think our
combination may be stronger than theirs.' It seems Sennier's new
libretto has come out quite dreadfully at rehearsal, and they've been
trying to re-write a lot of it and change situations. Now, we got
nearly everything cut and dried at Djenan-el-Maqui. By Jove, how I did
work there! D'you remember old Jernington's visit, Charmian? He believed
in the opera, didn't he?"

"I should think so!" she cried. "Why, he positively raved about it. And
he's not an amateur. He only cares for the music--and he's a man who
knows."

"Yes, he does know. What a change in our lives, eh, Charmian, if we
bring off a big success! And you'll be in it Alston."

"Rather! The coming baritone!"

"What a change!"

His eyes shone with excitement.

"I used to be almost afraid of celebrity, I think. But now I want it, I
need it. America has made me need it."

"This is the country that wakes people up," said Alston.

"It drives me almost mad!" cried Claude, with sudden violence.

"Claudie!" exclaimed Charmian.

"It does! There's something here that pumps nervous energy into one
until one's body and mind seem to