Smyrna times., 1912-04-10
oh, Promise Ne. "

Ibid you ever hear anything like
that. MANI"
Dick Wendell leaned forward and
grasped his friends arm, excitedly.
NO." returned Robert Hughes; ;
"it's the most beautiful voice I've
ever heard. -
''It's neutrality-suspicious., en-
thused Dick. "Listen."
Over the lake came the wonderful
soprano voice, singing with the
greatest expression and sweetness
the simple woros of "Oh, Promise
Me" " The evening air was as clear
as a bell, and the two men were
able to hear every note distinctly.
They listened, entranced, as the
glorious voice sang on and on.
Finally came Tosti's "Good-B By. "
and then the voice throbbed into
silence, The two sighed stimuli
taneously. Thev could have listen
ed forever. After awhile Dick rose
slowly from his chair.
"Oh, that was glorious-marve-
lous-and, Robert. old man, I'd give
everything 1 have in this world to
know the girl who can sing like
that. She's beautiful, l know, and
young and"-
''You are not TO get excited, you
know, Dick, interposed his friend,
tn a smile, land you mustn't be
too sure of what you said. One
may have lovely voice and be
neither beautiful nor young"-
Tomorrow I'm going across the
lake to find her if l can," said
Dick simply.
Robert felt that it would be use
less TO say anything more; for
there was a wonderful light in his
friends eyes-a light that he had
never seen there before.
Shortly afterward he went into
the cottage, bit disgusted, leaving
the young man gazing at the
twinkiing light across the lake,
shining apparently from the window
Of the cottage directly opposite
their own.
Robert Hughes was spending his
vacation with Dick. The latter had
been very i'll in the spring, and had
come here to regain his strength,
hiring the cottage for the summer.
1t was beautiful spot with high
mountains in the distance.
Everything had moved along
peacefully until now, Robert told
himself. He hoped the bov would
not be foolish enough to carry out
what he had said. Perhaps he
would forget it by tomorrow-still
he feared that the light he had seer
in Dicks eyes would not burn less
brightly after few hours.
His conjecture was not wrong, fol
when Dick appeared in the morning
he saw that the night had not dim.
med the light in the least. His
friend. however, did not allude to
the conversation of the night before
but during the forenoon he padded
across the lake in search of the one
with the marvellous voice.
He found the cottage opposite
empty, and was only able to learn
from the owner of a nearby cottage
that a party of young people had
come merely for the weekend, anl
had gone away that morning. Dis.
appointed, Dick re-crossed the lake.
In the days that followed he was
poor company for Robert, for he vas
preoccupied and solemn, wholly un.
like his usual CHEEKY self. He
could not forget the glorious voice,
and he had firm hope that some
day he would hear it again.
When he returned to the city il
the autumn he made many inquiries
from those he knew in the musica
world, but he learned nothing con
cerning the one he sought. Montl
after month passed, and at las
came March.
One evening both Dick and Rob
ert Hughes we're invited to an in
formal musical at the home of
friend. There were several peopl,
there whom they had not met befor,
but Dick had no eyes for any on,