Omaha daily bee., 1922-03-20

Elizabeth was' glad when size
heard the front door shut aud Meta
returning
well, ali fixed mp " she asked
eheerily. as she came into the room
"YeS; I'm TO go with you tomof-
row 10 buy some clothes
IL know. love shopping. III show
you all the best places, We shant
be able 10 go TO them, OF course, but
| it's nice 20 see them, all the same,
She began 10 pack up the tea
things.
II think Mr.. Royston is the kind
est man I've ever met" Elizabeth
said.
Meta put two saucers together
with rather an unnecessary clatter.
"My dear, everyone loves him@
she answered. "All the women at
least
Its a pity he's married" Eliza
beth said. unthinkingly.
Meta flushed.
MEN all seem TO make fools OF
themselves at some time or another,
she answered, fippantly.
Elizabeth went over to the window
and stood looking out into the twi-
light street. :,
"How much do people pay Mr..
Royston for lessons" she asked sud-
denly.
Meta was busy scraping the jam
dish.
"Three guineas for six lessons as a
rule" she said, absently. ITS more
il you want extra special attention
and all the latest fandangled steps"
Three guineas for six lessons!
Then how many lessons does 1t
take?
Docs what take?'
IL mean how many lessons should
! want to be able TO dance as-as
well as you do, for instance!
Meta looked up.
"If you're extra smart you might
do it in three Dozen" she said, rather
shortly. "If you're dud, goodness
only knows how many
Three dozen!' Elizabeth made
slow calculation; three dozen meant
IS guineas. 1t was not going to
leave much over out of the ~
pounds for clothes and to pay Mrs.
Silcum.
The next three weeks passed like
a dream to Elizabeth and were the
happiest she had ever known, al.
though afterward, when she looked
back on them, they seemed COM
posed chiefly Of hard work and dis
appointments, with here and there lit
tie rays OF encouragement and hope
Pat Royston was no longer Just
her friend--he was her master, re-
lentless and determined, allowing no
slackness in her work, always re-
minding her that she was at the very
bottom of the ladder which she was
so ambitious to climb.
There were no wakeiul nights tor
her now. At the end Of the day she
was always so tired that she .telii
asleep as soon as her head touched
the pillow. ,.,,
"Are you sorry you started| Net
ia asked once, looking at Elizabeth's
smile. 81 told you what it would be,
you know"
Elizabeth opened her eyes wide.
"Sorryp Why I've never been so
happy in my life"
Mrs. Mason had not once been
near her, and neither she nor DOLLY!
had written; for all that either OF
them knew, Elizabeth might have
been dead and buried. j,
And then one day at the end OF
three weeks, Royston called Eliza
beth back as she was leaving the
studio.
81 want to speak to you if you
can spare a moment" he said.
Elizabeth turned quickly.
"Have I Stacked off again." she
asked, despondently. Unconsciously
she had begun to adopt Netta's
slangy way of speaking, just as she
h-i begun to copy her manner OF
dress and the way in which she did
her hair.
Royston did not answer the ques-
ton; he was looking at Elizabeth
with rather sorry sort of smile:
II Just wanted to tell you that l
can teach you no more" he said.
The startled color flew to her face.
"Not teach me any more! Oh.
what do you mean? What have l
donee I've tried my best; I've done
everything you've told me"
HE smiled. Il know, it's not
YOUR fault: it's just that I've taught
YOU all | know myself, and that it's
time you went to some one better
than | ANA professional teacher, If
YOU understand what | mean"
Her distressed eyes searched his
face.
AZ don't know what you mean; l
don't want to go to any one else:
I'd much rather stay with you. OF
course, | know / can't pay what
I ought to. I've known that right
from the first, when | found out
what your fees were for ordinary
peopfe> But if you'll let me stay
I'll do anything for you. I'm good
enough to teach some OF the begin
ners who come, don't you think !.
am? Just quite the very beginners:
"My dear child" Royston said,
gently: that's just it-you're too
good for this sort OF life; too clever.
You'll be wasted here. It's all right
for me; | can do nothing else, |
know my own limitations; but you've
got it in you to do better, to do
great things. 1t wouldn't be fair if
I did not tell you that you must
60 on-that if you've got the pluck
and patience l am sure you'll make
great name for yourself, and nobody
will be more proud and pleased than
] shall"
The color had died slowly from
her face; she stood plucking ner-
vously at the soft folds OF her dress.
you mean you're sending me
away" she asked. family.
az mean that for your own oood