The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-26

various EXCUSES ne might offer to his
mother for visit 10 town after Christ
mas. lie would have liked 10 sternly re-
fuse Mr.. Kilmsyns's request about Baliy-
Tough: nevertheless. when the latter,
coming into tea,approaohed the subject.
he found himself reluctantly acceding
compelled by courtesy to disguise his own
feelings
That night a strange thing happened
Nan. pursued I'm her dreams by this
haunting fancy that had seized her.
walked In her sleep down the turret
room, and. walking there all alone I'm the
dark. tainted with terror
In the morning when she was found lying
there. cold and insensible. they thought
she was dead; but with renewed anima-
ton came fever. and for days she was
very III, and went near 10 dying while
In her delirium she raved constantly OF
the melody that had come TO her only
TO mock her with its beauty ana pathos
and then TO leave her memory blank
At last the critical moment passed
when the fever left her though the re-
sulting weakness threatened to take the
life that remained 20 her.
Father" she said family, 'l want to be
carried down 10 the tnrret room. | must
hear the tune again before die"
In vain he reasoned with her. entreat-
ing her to rest, To get strong. to put the
thought OF this dream out OF her head.
She would not he appeased until she
gained her own way. and had been dress
ed and carried down 70 the sofa I'm the
little roonf sho had learned TO love so
well. She lay there contentedy for some
time; then presently rising she crossed
the room with feeble. fatering steps 10
an armchair.
'It was here that the dream first
came TO me-" she said. II wonder II
Lord verramount would give me this
chair IL l asked him?
You need not wonder said voice at
the door. THE chair is yours from this
moment
Il am so glad to see you down again"
he continued. II have missed YOU hor-
ribly"
Have you?' And will you really give
me this chaire 4 have always liked Il
so much there is something so restful
about IL. 1 have often wondered why
II has this quaint old tapestry panel In
the back, and whether some fair lady
worked IL. for her own true love"
As she spoke she noticed that the
edge OF the oval panel projected on one
side more than on the other. and pressed
II lightly into place. To her surprise. IL
fell forward, and behind It. in the hollow
OF the chair. lay something wrapped In
a red silk handkerchief.
why. Wnat ls lfiSr she Sdlu WonueT-
ingly. The chair Is casket. Lord Ver-
ramount. and contains a treasure"
And then she gave little cry Of amazed
delight, for AZ she drew the wrapper
away there lay I'm her hands violin or
exquisite shape and workmanship with
the magic name OF Stradivari inscribed
on it, and the date 1921. She stared at IL,
breathless, fascinated Then. lifting II,
drew the bow softly across the strings.
tuned them, and began 10 play.
Slowly, then gradually with more conf
dence and swiftness, she played, until
the room was tlled with strains SO en-
chanting that IL seemed as though the very
essence OF all hormany had been imprls-
oned within the hidden Violin. and was
exulting in its new liberty.
Lord Nerramount watched her SPELL
bound scarcely able 10 believe his senses
at this extraordinary change. Not till
the last. sweet notS, had trembled into
silence did Mans rapt expression change
or her nervous fingers relax their hold
OF the bow. then stretching out her hand
to him, she cried: -
IT: IN found IL has come back. I re-
member now every note Of IL! liz must
have been played on this violin by "A
master hand--I am sure OF it Perhaps
by Stradirari himself, All. but"-her
look changed saddsnly--'the violin is
yours Lord ycrramount. IL must have
belonged to the old man. your cousin.
Perhaps he too, spent his life trying 10
remember the tune, and that was why
people called him mad. You must take
it,"
The violin is yours" Verramount said
Continued on page Six)