Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-04-18


conscious of strange accompaniment.
Pausing moment, she perceived that
the grove wasAvocal with tone long
after her voice had ceased. 1t was
not exactly an echo. but a slowly re-
ceding resonance, faint Implications
and multiplications of her voice, gent
ly floating into the thickness Of the
forest.
Charmed, like a child who discovers
some curious phenomenon of nature,
Agatha tried her voice again and
again. listening. between whiles, to
the ghostly tones reverberating among
the pines. She sang the slow majestic
"Lascia chic pianga." which has test
ed every singers voice since Handel
wrote 1t; and then, curious. she tried
the effect of the aerial sounding-board
with quick. brilliant runs up and
down the full range of the voice. Blu.
the effect was more beautiful with
something melodious and somewhat
slow; and there came to her mind an
old-fashioned song which. as girl.
she had often sung with her mother:
"Oh! that we two were maying
Down the stream of the soft spring
breeze"
She sang the stanza through, softly.
Danny. at first, walked up and down
beside her gravely, and then lay down
in the middle of the path. keeping an
eye on Agatha's movements. Her
voice. pitched at its softest, now
seemed to be infinitely enlarged with
out being made louder. 1t carried far
in among the trees. clear and soft as
wave-ripple. Entranced, Agatha be-
gan the second part of the song, Just
for the Joy of singing:
"Oh! that we two sat dreaming
On the sward Of some sheep-trimmed
down"
when suddenly, from the distance, an
other voice took up the strain. Danny
was instantly up and off to investigate.
but presently came back wagging and
begging his mistress to follow him.
In spite of her surprise in hearing
scother voice complete the duet.
Agatha went on with the song. half
singing. half humming. 1t was wom-
ans voice that Joined hers. singing
the part quite according to the book:
with our limbs at rest on the quiet
earth's breast
And our souls at home with God!"
The pine canopy spread the voices.
first one and then the other. until the
wood was like a vast cathedral filled
with the softest music of the organ
pipes.
There was nobody In sight at first.
but as Agatha followed the path, she
presently saw a white arm and skirt
projecting from behind the trunk of a
tree. Danny. wagging slowly. ap-
peared to wish to make friends, and
before Agatha had time to wonder, the
stranger emerged and came toward
her with outstretched hand.
"Ah, forgive mel ! hid and then
startled you; but l was tempted by
the song. And this forest temple
isn't 1t wonderful"
Agatha looked at the stranger, sud
denly wondering II she were not some
familiar but half-forgotten acquaint-
ance of years agone. She was beau
tiful dark woman. probably two or
three years older than herself, mature
and selfpoised as only woman Of the
cosmopolitan world can be. 1t might
be that compared to her Agatha was a
bit crude and unfinished, with the
years of her full blossoming yet to
come. She had no words at the mo-
ment, and the older woman. still hold
ing Agatha's hand. explained.
81 did not mean to steal in upon
YOU; but as l came into the grove l
heard you singing Handel. and
couldn't resist listening. Your voice
is wonderful! Especially here!" AS
she looked into Agatha's face, her sin-
cere eyes and voice gave the praise
that no one can resist. the tribute of
one artist to another.
This is, indeed, beautiful hall.
found 1t out Just now by accident
when / came up here to practice and
see if l had any voice left" said
Agatha She paused, as it suddenly
occurred to her that the visitor might
be James Hambleton's sister and that
she was being delinquent as a hostess.
But come back to the house." she
said This is not a hospitable place.
exactly, to receive guest"
The stranger laughed gently. Have
you guessed who ] am. then? No?
Well, you see ! had the advantage of
YOU from the first. You are Miss Red
mond. and | followed you here from
the house where your servant gave me
the directions. I am Miss Reynier.
Melanie ReynIer, and am staying at
the Hillside. Mr.. Van Camp" and TO
her own great surprise, Melanie