The Mena weekly star., 1917-11-29
CHAPTER x.
A Resurrection.

later that Stella made a discov-
 cry which profoundly affected the whole current of her thought Tho long twilight was just beginning She was curled on the living room floor. playing with the baby. Fyfe and Char lie Benton sat by a window. smoking. conyersing. as they frequently did, upon certain phases of the timber in dustry. A draft from an open window duttered some sheet music down off the piano rack, and Stella rescued i from Jack juniors tiny. clawing hands Some of the Abbeys had been there the evening before One bit of music was a song Linda had tried to sing and given up because it scared above her vocal range. Stella rose to put up the music. Without any premedi- tated idea of playing, she sat down at the piano and began to run over the accompaniment She could play passa ply.
 That doesn't seem so very hard" she thought aloud Benton turned at sound of her words
 Say, did you never get any part of your voice back, StellT' he asked. q never hear you try 10 sing
 No" she answered. q tried and tried long after you left home, but 1t was always the same old story. haven't sung note in five years
 Linda fell down hard on that song last night" he went on. There was time when that wouldn't have been starter for you. eh? Did you know Stella used to warble like prima don Aa, Jack?'
 Fyfe shook his head.
 Fact The governor spent q pot of money cultivating her voice It was some voice too. She"-
 He broke off to listen Stella was humming the words of the song. her fingers picking at the melody instead of the accompaniment.
 Why. you canp' Benton cried.
 Can what?" She turned on the stool.
 Sing, of course. You got that high trill that Linda had to screech through. You got it perfectly without effort"
 T didn't she returned. ''Why. wasn't singing: just humming 1t over
 You let out link or two on those nigh notes just the same, whether you &new you were doing it or not" her brother returned impatiently. "Go on. Turn yourself loose. Sing that song"
 "Oh, couldn't" Stella said ruefully. T haven't tried for so long, It's no use My voice always cracks, and want to cry"
 Crack fiddlesticksI' Benton retort- ca "I know what it used to be. Be- heve me, it sounded natural. even if You were just lifting. Here"
 He came over to the piano and play Iully edged her off the stool
 I'm pretty rusty.' he said, but can fake what can't play of this. It's simple enough. You stand up there and sing"
 She only stood looking at him.
 to on" he commanded. "I believe you can sing anything. You have to snow me if you can't"
 stella fingered the sheets reluctantly: tnen she drew deep breath and be- gan.
 It was not a difficult selection. mere ay bit from a current light opera. With a closing passage that ranged a trlne too high for the ordinary un- 'rained voice to take with ease. Stella sung It effortlessly, the last high. trill- lng notes pouring out as sweet and clear as the carol of a lark Benton seruck the closing chord and looked up at her. Fyfe leaned forward .in his ehalr' Jack junior, among the pillows on the floor, waved his arms. kicking and gurgling
 !, hou did pretty well on that" Char ne remarked complacently. Now sing something Got any of your old piecesT'
 wonder if I could?" Stella mur- "ured. I'm almost afraid to try"
 She hurried away to some outlying part of the house. reappearing in few Alnutes with a dog cared bundle of sneets in her hand. From among these sue selected three and set them on the rack.
 Benton whistled when he glanced over the music.
 The Siren Song" he grunted. what is it-fomethins new? Lord, sook at the scalel Looks like one of