to her with a touching devotion. For she was
the only one who seemed to be unconscious of
the difference of blood, who had not yet learned
that she was an American and he--a foreigner.



VI.


Three years had passed by and still the situation
was unchanged. Halfdan still taught music
and told fairy stories to the children. He had
a good many more pupils now than three years
ago, although he had made no effort to solicit
patronage, and had never tried to advertise his
talent by what he regarded as vulgar and
inartistic display. But Mrs. Van Kirk, who had by
this time discovered his disinclination to assert
himself, had been only the more active; had
"talked him up" among her aristocratic friends;
had given musical soirees, at which she had
coaxed him to play the principal role, and had
in various other ways exerted herself in his
behalf. It was getting to be quite fashionable to
admire his quiet, unostentatious style of playing,
which was so far removed from the noisy
bravado and clap-trap then commonly in vogue.
Even professional musicians began to indorse
him, and some, who had discovered that "there