The San Francisco call., 1904-02-07

a quadrile being proposed, Mrs. Tan
berry suggested that Jefferson should
run home and bring Fanchon for the
fourth lady However, Virginia ex
planned that she had endeavored to
persuade both her sister and Mr.. Gray
to accompany the general and herself.
but that Mr.. Gray had complained of
indisposition, having suffered greatly
from headache on account of inhaling
so much smoke at the warehouse fire;
and, of course Fanchon would not
leave him. (Miss Carewe permitted
herself the slight st shrug Of the
shoulders.)
So they danced the quadrille with JEFF
ferson at the piano, and Mr.. Marsh
performing in the character of a lady,
a proceeding most unacceptable to the
general whom Mrs. Tanberry forced to
be his partner. And thus the evening
passed gayly away. and but too quick
ly, to join the ghosts of all the other
evenings since time began; and each Of
the little company had added cheerful
sprite to the long row of these varied
shades that the after years bring to re-
visit us, so many with pathetic re-
proach, so many bearing a tragic bur-
den of faces that we cannot make even
to weep again. and so few with simple
merriment and lightheartedness. Tap
bingham Marsh spoke the truth, indeed,
when he exclaimed in parting, 20 rare
Mrs. .Tanberryr
But the house had not done with sere-
nades that night. The guests had long
since departed; the windows were still
nd orb old
which had risen lamely looking unfa-
miliar and not half itself: the air bore
an odor of lateness, and nothing moved:
when a delicate harmony stole out Of
the shadows beyond the misty garden.
Low but resonant chords sounded on
the heavier strings OF a guitar, while
above them, upon the lighter wires.
rippled q slender, tinkling melody that
wooed the slumberer to a delicious
half wakefulness, as dreamily, as ten
derly. as the Groom of rain on the roof
soothes child to sleep. Under the ar
lists cunning touch the instrument was
both the accompaniment and the song;
and Miss Betty, at first taking the
music to be a wandering thread in the
fabric of her own bright dreams. drifted
gradually to consciousness to find her
self smiling. Her eyes opened wide, but
half closed again with the ineffable
sweetness OF the sound.
Then a voice was heard. eerily low,
yet gallant and clear, a vibrant BARI
tone, singing to the guitar.
My lady's hair.
That dark delight,
Is both as fair
And dusk as night.
/ know some lovelorn hearts that beat
In time to moonbeam twinklings fleet.
That dance and glance like jewels there,
Emblazoning the raven hair!
All, raven hairl
So dark and bright,
What loves lie there
Enmeshed. tonight?
l know some signing lads that say
And now as pearls one fate they share,
Entangled in the raven hair.
All, raven hair,
For such plight
Could you not spare
One acolyte7
l know a broken heart that went
To serve you but as ornament.
Alas! ruby now you wear.
Ensanguining the raven hairI
The song had grown fainter and
fainter, the singer moving away as he
sang, and the last lines were almost in
audible in the distance The guitar
could be heard for a moment or two
more, then silence came again. 1t was
broken by rustling in the room next
to Miss Betty's, and Mrs. Tanberry
called softly through the open door:
Princess, are you awake? Did you
hear that serenade?'
After a pause the answer came hesi-
tatingly in a small, faltering voice:
Yes-if 1t was one. 1 thought perhaps
ho OpIv N ha acgaI oI0no,
the street"
"Aha!" calculated Mrs. Tanberry. alb
ruptly, as though she had made an un-
expected discovery. You knew better;
and this was a serenade that you did
not laugh at. Beautiful, 1 wouldn't let
it go any farther, even while your
father is gone. Something might occur
that would bring him home without
.rning-such things have happened.
Tom Vanrevel ought to be kept far
away from this house."
"Oh, it was not he" returned Miss
Betty, quickly. IT was Mr.. Gray.
Didn't you"
my dear" interrupted the other.
"Crailey Gray's speciality is talking.
Most of the vagabonds can sing and
play bit. and so can Crailey, particu-
larly when he's had few bowls Of
punch; but when Tom Vanrevel touches
the guitar and lifts up his voice to
sing, there isn't an angel in heaven
that wouldn't quit the place and come
to hear him! Crailey wrote those words
to Virginia Bareaud. (Her hair is even
darker than yours, you know That
was when he was being engaged to her;
and Tom must have set the music to
'em lately, and now comes here sing
ing 'em to you; and well enough they
fit you! But you must keep him away
Princess"
Nevertheless, Betty knew the voice
was not that which had bid her look
to the stars, and she remained con-
vinced that 1t belonged to Mr.. Crailey
Gray, who had been too i'll, few
hours earlier, to leave the Bareaud
house, and now with Fanchon's kisses
on his lips, came stealing into her gar
den and sang to her a song he had
made for another girl!
And the angels would leave heaven to