"_My Darling Molly:_

"Heavy, heavy hangs over your head! You are severely penalized for not writing me of your return. But to surprise your friends was always one of your greatest delights, you sly little minx! So I am not holding it up against you. I'll even the score with you some day in a way you little imagine.

"Well, well, well, you just can't guess what I have to tell you! And I'm glad you can't, for that would take away the pleasure of the telling. Aunt Betty has planned a fine outing for me in the South Mountains, which, as you know, form a spur of the Blue Ridge range in Western Maryland. We are to be gone several weeks, during which time who can say what glorious adventures we will have?

"You are going with us. I want your acceptance of the invitation by return mail, Lady Breckenridge, and I shall take pleasure in providing a brave knight for your escort in the person of one Gerald Blank, in whose automobile we are to make the trip. He has a new seven-pa.s.senger car given him by his father, and, in the vulgar parlance of the day, we are going to 'make things hum.' It is only some sixty miles to the mountains, and we expect to be out only one night between Baltimore and our destination. Besides yourself, Aunt Betty and I, there will be only Gerald, Aurora, his sister, Jim Barlow, and Ephraim, who will be camp cook, and general man-of-all-work.

"Now write me, dear girlie, and say that you will arrive immediately, for I am just dying with anxiety to see you, and to clasp you in my arms. Jim is already here, having traveled to Canada with Ephy to bring me safely home. As if a girl of my mature age couldn't travel alone! However, it was one of Aunt Betty's whims, she being in too ill health to come herself, so I suppose it is all right. Dear auntie will improve I feel sure--now that I am back. That may sound conceited, but I a.s.sure you it was not meant to. We are just wrapped up in each other--that's all. The outing will do her good, and will, I am sure, restore in a measure her shattered health.

"And oh, I forgot to tell you! I am to have violin lessons after my vacation from the famous Herr Deichenberg, Baltimore's finest musician, whom Aunt Betty had especially engaged before my return. No one can better appreciate than you just what this means to me. My greatest ambition has been to become a fine violinist, and now my hopes bid fair to be realized. I know it rests with me to a great extent just how far up the ladder I go, and am resolved that Herr Deichenberg, before he is through with me, shall declare me the greatest pupil he has ever had. It takes courage to write that--and _mean_ it--Molly, dear; but if we don't make such resolves and stick to them, we will never amount to much, I fear.

"My first meeting with the Herr Professor will be within the next few days, and I am looking eagerly forward to the time.

Aunt Betty says he has the dearest sort of a studio in a quiet part of the city, where he puts his pupils through a course of sprouts and brings out all the latent energy--or, temperament, I suppose you would call it.

"Well, Molly, dear, you must admit that this is a long letter for my first day home, especially when I am tired from the journey, and have stopped my dressing to write you.

So don't disappoint me, but write--or wire--that you are starting at once. Tell the dear Judge we hope his health has improved to such an extent that you will be free from all worry in the future. Remember us to your aunt, and don't forget that your welcome at old Bellvieu is as everlasting as the days are long.

"Ever your affectionate "DOROTHY."

"There! I guess if that don't bring Miss Molly Breckenridge to time, nothing will."

Dorothy put the letter in a dainty, scented envelope, stamped and addressed it, and laid it on her dresser where she would be sure to carry it down to Ephraim when she had dressed.

An hour later, when the declining sun had disappeared behind the big hedge to the west of Bellvieu, and the lawn was filled with cool, deep shadows, Dorothy and Aunt Betty settled themselves in the open air for another chat.

CHAPTER III

DOROTHY MEETS HERR DEICHENBERG

The arrival of Herr Deichenberg at Bellvieu was looked forward to with breathless interest by Dorothy, and calm satisfaction by Aunt Betty, whose joy at seeing her girl so well pleased with the arrangements made for her studies, had been the means of reviving her spirits not a little, until she seemed almost like her old self.

The day following Dorothy's return Ephraim was sent to the musician's studio with a note from Mrs. Calvert, telling of the girl's arrival, and suggesting that possibly the first meeting would be productive of better results if held at Bellvieu, where the girl would be free from embarra.s.sment. Here, too, was a piano, the note stated, and Herr Deichenberg, who was also an expert on this instrument, might, if he desired, test Dorothy's skill before taking up the work with her in earnest in his studio.

Ephraim returned in the late afternoon, bringing a written answer from the music master, in which he stated that it was contrary to his custom to visit the homes of his pupils, but that in the present instance, and under the existing circ.u.mstances, he would be glad to make an exception. He set the time of his visit at ten the following morning.

Dorothy awoke next day with a flutter of excitement. To her it seemed that the crucial moment of her life had come. If she were to fail--!

She crowded the thought from her mind, firmly resolved to master the instrument which is said by all great musicians to represent more thoroughly than any other mode of expression, the joys, hopes and pa.s.sions of the human soul.

Breakfast over, with a feeling of contentment Dorothy stole up to her room to dress, the taste of Dinah's coffee and hot biscuits still lingering in her mouth.

As the minutes pa.s.sed she found herself wondering what Herr Deichenberg would look like. She conjured up all sorts of pictures of a stoop-shouldered little German, her final impression, however, resolving itself into an image of "The Music Master's" hero, Herr Von Barwig.

Would he bring his violin? she wondered. It was a rare old Cremona, she had heard, with a tone so full and sweet as to dazzle the Herr's audiences whenever they were so fortunate as to induce him to play.

Descending finally, arrayed in her prettiest gown, a dainty creation of lawn and lace, Dorothy found Aunt Betty awaiting her.

"Never have I seen you dress in better taste, my dear!" cried Mrs.

Calvert, and the girl flushed with pleasure. "The Herr, as you have perhaps surmised, is a lover of simple things, both in the way of clothes and colors, and I am anxious that you shall make a good impression. He, himself, always dresses in black--linen during the warmer days, broadcloth in the winter. Everything about him in fact is simple--everything but his playing, which is wonderful, and truly inspired by genuine genius."

"Stop, auntie, dear, or you will have me afraid to meet the Herr.

After holding him up as such a paragon, is it any wonder I should feel as small and insignificant as a mouse?"

"Come, come, you are not so foolish!"

"Of course, I'm not, really--I was only joking," and Dorothy's laugh rang out over the lawn as they seated themselves on the gallery to await the arrival of the guest. "But I do feel a trembling sensation when I think that I am to meet the great Herr Deichenberg, of whom I have heard so much, yet seen so little."

"There is nothing to tremble over, my dear--nothing at all. He is just like other men; very ordinary, and surely kind-hearted to all with whom he comes in contact."

As they were discussing the matter, Jim and Ephraim came around the corner of the house, their hands full of fishing tackle.

"Well, Aunt Betty," greeted the boy, "we're off for the old Chesapeake to court the denizens of the deep, and I'm willing to wager we'll have fish for breakfast to-morrow morning."

He pulled off his broad-brimmed straw hat and mopped a perspiring brow.

"Don't be too sure of that," returned Aunt Betty. "Fish do not always bite when you want them to. I know, for I've tried it, many's the time."

"Mah Miss Betty suah uster be er good fisher-woman," quoth Ephraim, a light of pride in his eyes. "I've seen her sot on de bank ob de Chesapeake, en cotch as many as 'leben fish in one hour. Big fellers, too--none ob yo' lil' cat-fish en perch. Golly! I suah 'members de time she hooked dat ole gar, en hollered fo' help tuh pull 'im out.

Den all de folks rush' up en grab de line, en ole Mistah Gar jes'

done come up outen de watah like he'd been shot out ob er gun."

Slapping his knees at the recollection, Ephraim guffawed loudly, and with such enthusiasm that Aunt Betty forgot her infirmities and joined in most heartily.

"The joke was on me that time, Ephy," she finally said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "But we landed old 'Mistah Gar,' which I suppose was what we wanted after all."

"Wish I might hook a gar to-day," said Jim.

"En like as not yo' will, chile, 'case dem gars is mighty plentiful in de bay. Hardly a day go by, but w'at two or t'ree ob 'em is yanked outen de sea, en lef' tuh dry up on de bank."

"Well, we'll try our hand at one if possible. Good-by, Dorothy!

Good-by, Aunt Betty. Have plenty of good things for lunch," were Jim's parting words, as he and Ephraim strode off down the path toward the gate. "We will be as hungry as bears when we get back, and I'm smacking my lips now in antic.i.p.ation of what we're going to have."

"Go along!" said Aunt Betty. "You're too much trouble. I'll feed you on corn bread and mola.s.ses." But she laughed heartily. It pleased her to see Jim enjoying himself. "Oh, maybe I'll cook something nice for you," she called after him--"something that will make your mouth water sure enough."

"Yum yum! Tell me about it now," cried Jim.

"No; I'm going to surprise you," answered the mistress of Bellvieu, and with a last wave of their hands, Jim and the old darkey disappeared behind the big hedge.

They were hardly out of sight before the figure of a little, gray-haired man walked slowly up to the gate, opened it, and continued his way up the walk, and Dorothy Calvert, her heart beating wildly, realized that she was being treated to her first sight of the famous music master, Herr Deichenberg.

As the Herr paused before the steps of the Calvert mansion, hat in hand, both Mrs. Calvert and Dorothy arose to greet him.

Dorothy saw before her a deeply intellectual face, framed in a long ma.s.s of gray hair; an under lip slightly drooping; keen blue eyes, which snapped and sparkled and seemed always to be laughing; a nose slightly Roman in shape, below which two perfect rows of white teeth gleamed as Herr Deichenberg smiled and bowed.

"I hope I find you vell dis morning, ladies," was his simple greeting.