re
for her. But it was from Mr. Francis, asking her to lunch with him.
She got through the morning in almost a fever of suspense.

He had gone to hear Elsie that very night of Miss Pritchard's call, and
told her without preface that the girl had a marvellous voice.

"Now, Miss Pritchard, can't you shut down at once on that vaudeville
business and set her to studying under a first-rate teacher?" he
demanded. "She ought not to lose a minute. Of course she is rather
small--too bad she isn't taller--but for all that I believe such a
voice will carry her anywhere. I shouldn't wonder if she should turn
out a star of the first magnitude."

He named a teacher with a studio in Boston who could take her as far as
she could go in this country. He usually went to Naples in the late
spring with a pupil or two, but would be at his home near Boston all
summer this year.

Of course the fact that Enderby was within easy reach of Boston added
to Miss Pritchard's excitement. That night she received word that she
could have accommodations at the inn, and a letter following next day
offered her a choice of rooms. She engaged a suite of three with a
bath, though aware that the single rooms would be satisfactory. And
she smiled at herself for assuming airs already, as guardian of an
operatic star, engaging royal apartments for her.

Filled with enthusiasm, she announced to Elsie that night that she had
secured quarters for them at Enderby for the two months. At the first
breath the girl was quite as surprised and delighted as she was
expected to be. The delight was, it is true, but momentary, though it
sufficed to irradiate her face and fill Miss Pritchard's heart with
generous joy--also, to hide from the latter the fact that it was
succeeded by profound dismay.

Those dimples! Those awful dimples! As she thought of them, Elsie
Moss was overwhelmed by consternation. Of course she couldn't go to
Enderby. She couldn't let Uncle John get even a second glimpse of her
face. She fled from the room in a panic which Miss Pritchard believed
to be excited eagerness to impart the good news to her friend at once.

Though, as the days had passed, Elsie had persisted in her refusal to
face her conscience or look into the future, she had been vaguely aware
of a day of reckoning ahead. She had dimly taken it for granted that
when she stopped she would have to consider--there would be nothing
else to do. When she should be out from un