lower notes, or rose with a birdlike gush to the higher ones, he
could scarce restrain some display of his delight. Such, however, it
was not his policy to exhibit, and when at the close of the song,
she timidly approached him, and, lifting her mandoline and large,
sad eyes at the same time, besought him in broken Spanish to give
her a single maravedi for pity's sake, he coldly drew forth a few
small coins and handed them to her.

"This is a poor way of earning your support,"' answered he.

"I know it-but it is all the one I have."

"It is a pity, for you seem to be an honest sort of a body, and
perhaps with the assistance of friends you might be made something
decent," then without noticing the indignant flush that had risen to
her check, he continued. "Now I am willing to help you-that is, if
you're respectable and humble-minded, and I will let you sing in my
theatre, although I am sure I shall lose by it."

The first impulse of the young girl was to refuse with anger, the
proposal offered almost in an insulting manner, by the hard,
avaricious man, but a moment's reflection showed her she could not
afford to be particular in choosing the manners of an employer, and
she replied:

"Why are you willing to take a stranger who has no claims upon you,
if you are certain you will be a loser by so doing?"

"Because, although I shall be at an extra expense for a while, I am
in hopes you will repay it sometime," he replied, with a scowl at