“I see you have paid some attention to chamber or classic music, as well as sacred,” observed Mr. Knight. “I commenced with sacred,” returned Peace, and always took great delight in both, but at the same time it doesn’t go down with the multitude so well as livelier strains, such as ballads, music-hall songs, and nigger melodies.” “We are most of us aware of that,” observed the director and pianist, “and hence it is that we purpose dividing the entertainment into two or three parts. The first will be devoted to the better class of music, both sacred and secular; the next will be a mixed entertainment, consisting of varieties of various descriptions. You can, of course, appear in one or both parts. The first we shall have no difficulty in arranging. Your assistance will be required in several pieces which I may say are of exceptional beauty, and will require very careful rendering. We must have a few rehearsals before appearing in public. Can you find time to attend these?” “I will make it my business to do so.” “Good. And now, as to the second part, Mr. Peace?” “I leave it to your better judgment, sir.” “Nay, I think you are the best qualified to determine as to that,” returned his companion, courteously. “If I might suggest, then,” said Peace, “I will come on as a nigger, give a sort of medley on the violin, and finish up by performing on one string only. I have been tolerably successful in this, and find it generally pleases the people.” “I’ve no doubt it does. We’ve got a young gentleman――a volunteer――who is well up in nigger melodies. Would you like him to assist you in this part of the performance?” “Yes, most certainly. He will black his face, I suppose?” “Oh, most willingly; nothing would please him better. I will introduce you to him, and there will be but little difficulty, I think, about the matter. You can consult together.” The preliminaries being satisfactorily settled, nothing remained but the rehearsals. These Peace attended with unvarying punctuality, and the several performers got tolerably perfect before the night on which they were to appear. A large building――one of the parish schoolrooms, and which was frequently made use of as a lecture hall, was placed at the disposal of the managing committee. Bills containing a programme of the performance were posted all over the town, and on these the name of Charles Peace figured as the “Modern Paganini,” who would, by special desire, perform on one string only, after the manner of his great predecessor. Little did those who purchased tickets for the concert imagine that they were about to listen to the performance of one of the greatest and most notorious burglars of modern times. Peace at this time was led or rather fell into good society; and he was too astute and cunning a rascal to show the cloven foot. He was discreet and very proper in his conduct, and indeed it may be said that he was highly popular in the select circle in which he moved.