``My dear sir, from what I observed
to-night, she loves you. You are a dan-
gerous man for a jealous woman to love.
You are not a cloistered monk, you are
a man before the public; you win the
admiration of many; some women do not
hesitate to show you their preference. To
a woman like Mildred that would be torture;
she could not and would not separate
the professional artist from the lover
or husband.''

And Diotti, remembering Mildred's
words, could not refute the old man's
statements.

``If you had known her mother as I
did,'' continued the old man, realizing
his argument was making an impression
on the violinist, ``you would see the
agony in store for the daughter if she
married a man such as you, a public servant,
a public favorite.''

``I would live my life not to excite her
suspicions or jealousy,'' said the artist,
with boyish enthusiasm and simplicity.

``Foolish fellow,'' retorted Sanders,