Page:Our Little Girl (1923).pdf/123

 His pale blue eyes shifted to Dorothy.

“And Miss Loamford? How do you do? I am Mr. Maxwell.”

“Well, Saul, I might as well-

Maxwell turned to the woman at the door.

"All right, Elsie," he said. "You can take that date at South Bend. You'll be at Indianapolis on the twenty-second anyhow. We'll weire you there if anything turns up-"

He looked at Dorothy and Mrs. Loamford.

"Mrs. and Miss Loamford," he remarked, with an introductory gesture. "This is Madame Else Freron of the Metropolitan Opera Company."

Madame Freron smiled brightly.

"So glad to know you, I'm sure," she observed.

The Loamfords bowed in return.

"One of our brightest stars," continued Maxwell.

He squeezed Madame Freron's hand cordially.

"All set, Elsie?"

"I guess so. Think I'll see ITam [?] before I go."

"Good."

Madame Freron departed.

"Probably you've heard her," commented Maxwell, as he returned to the desk.

Dorothy recalled Madame Freron as a mezzo-soprano who appeared two or three times annually at the Metropolitan in small roles.

Maxwell shoved aside a collection of letters on his desk and turned to Mrs. Loamford.

"From what you told me the other day," he began, "I take it that Miss Loamford contemplates a recital. You were recommended here, I believe, by Mr. Fleming. We are always glad to meet artists from Mr. Fleming."

"My daughter," said Mrs, Loamford, "is a soprano,"