Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-17


to be in earnest too, and do your share IN the
musical side. You see, I'm talking to you Just
as | would to man IN the same position,
not because ! doubt that if you put your
name to piece OF paper you really Will do your
share as a partner, but because m used to
working in that sort of way in business. How
does that strike you? / hope you're not
offended?'
"Offendedi" There was no mlstakIng the
suppressed excitement and delight in her voice.
If he had possessed the intelligence of Mephls-
topheles and the charm OF Faust, he could not
nave said ANYTHING more subtly pleasing to
her dignity and her vanity.
of course" he said, 1t needn't be very
large sum. Still it ought to be something that
would make a difference to you.
She hesitated moment, and then spoke
rather tirnidly. Il think perhaps, if we did it.
! could manage hundred thousand pounds,
she said Would that be too little, do you
Think"
The large mouth twitched and then smiled
pleasantly That's too much" he said.
shaking his head. You mustn't put all your
eggs in one basket. A hundred thousand
dollars would be quite enough as your share
at par. up to a million or so, II IT a success
''Really7 Would that be enough! And,
please, what is stock in such case!"
Stock" said the financier, is little plant
which, when we'll watered. will grow hike the
mustard seed, till all the birds of Wall Street
make their nests in its branches. And if you
don't water it too much, it II be all right. In
our case, the stock IS going to be that snare OF
the business which most people sell to raise
money, but which we mean to keep tor our
selves | always do 1t that way, when C1rcum-
stances allow l once bought all the stock OF a
railroad for nothing, for instance, and sold all
the bonds, and let it go bankrupt Then !
bought the road one day and found that all
the stock was in my own pocket. That only
little illustration But guess you can leave
the financial side in my hands. You won't lose
by it. I'm pretty sure.
Il fancy not!" Margaret's eyes were wide
open her hands were clasped tightly ON her
knee, and she was leaning forward little.
Besides" she went on, 1T would not be the
money that / should care about ! can earn
more money than | want, and ! have little
fortune of my own,-the hundred thousand
] offered you. Oh, mol 1t would be the splen-
did power to have the most beautiful music IN
the world given as it could be given nowhere
elsei The JOY of singing myseH-the parts |
can sing-in the most perfect surroundings!
An orchestra picked from the whole world OF
orchestras, the greatest living leaders, the most
faultless chorus And the scenery, and the
costumes, everything as everything could be,
if it was really really, the best that can be
had Do you believe it Is possible to have all
that"
"Oh, yes, and with your name to 1t too
can buy to make perfect opera, and | II guar
antee it'll pay after the first two seasons
that is, if youl II work at it as hard as Will
But you've got to work, Miss Dome, you We
got to work. or it use thinking of it. That's
my opinion"
ri work like Trojan cried Margaret
enthusiastically.
"Trojans?" unused Van Torp, who wanted
to bring her back to her ordinary self before
Mrs Rushmore or Lady Maud came IN. Let
me see. They say that because the TroJans
had to work so hard to get over the Alps
coming down into Italy, don't they!'
Whether Van Torp made this monstrous
assertion in ignorance, for effect, no one will
ever know. An effect certainly followed at
once, for Margaret broke into an echolng
laugh.
Il believe it was the Carthaginians," she
said presently. Its the same thing, as Lady
Maud is so fond of saying.
''All in the family, as Cain said when he
killed Abel observed Van Torp, without a
smile.
MARGARET looked at him and laughed
AvA again. She would have laughed at any
thing in the remotest degree amusing just
then: for she found it hard to realize exactly
what she was doing saying. The possibility
he had suddenly placed within her reach APP
pealed to almost everything in her nature at
once,-to her talent, her vanity, her real
knowledge of her art, her love Of power, even
to her good sense which wa, unusually prac-
teal in certain ways. She had enough
perience in herself and enough knowledge of
the conditions to believe that her own hard