you've never been in love with any one else."

"That's easily given. You know very well you're the only girl I've ever
loved."




II


A BIT OF MELODY [Footnote: Copyrighted by J. Brisbane Walker, and used by
the courtesy of the _Cosmopolitan Magazine_.]

It was twelve o'clock that Sunday night when, leaving the lodging-house for
a breath of winter air before going to bed, I met the two musicians coming
in, carrying under their arms their violins in cases. They belonged to the
orchestra at the ---- Theatre, and were returning from a dress rehearsal of
the new comic opera that was to be produced there on the following night.

Schaaf, who entered the hallway in advance of the professor, responded to
my greeting in his customary gruff, almost suspicious manner, and passed
on, turning down the collar of his overcoat. His heavily bearded face was
as gloomy-looking as ever in the light of the single flickering gaslight.

The professor, although by birth a compatriot of the other, was in
disposition his opposite. In his courteous, almost affectionate way, he
stopped to have a word with me about the coldness of the weather and the
danger of the icy pavements. "I'm t'ankful to be at last home," he said,
showing his teeth with a cordial smile, as he removed the muffler from his