There was a dead silence, in which the voice continued, "Give us 'Sugar in the Gourd,' Johnny." A few hisses, and cries of "Hush!" "Put him out!" followed.

Mrs.Martin raised her eyes quickly to where her assistant had stood bowing his thanks a moment before.

He was gone! More concerned than she cared to confess, vaguely fearful that she was in some way connected with his abrupt withdrawal, and perhaps a little remorseful that she had allowed her personal feelings to interfere with her frank recognition of his triumph, she turned back to the schoolroom, after the little performers and their audience had departed, in the hope that he might return.

It was getting late, the nearly level rays of the sun were lying on the empty benches at the lower end of the room, but the desk where she sat with its lid raised was in deep shadow.
Suddenly she heard his voice in a rear hall, but it was accompanied by another's,--the same voice which had interrupted the applause.

Before she could either withdraw, or make herself known, the two men had entered the room, and were passing slowly through it.