A Court of Inquiry

is a moth

est thin

. Col

late that you mustn't sit up for me. Azalea couldn't ask me to stay all night, on account of using the guest-room for a nursery d

Skeptic. "I want to hear what sort of man had the courage to ma

d Hepatica warmly. "It couldn't

ack. And I'll be over to bring you home, if you'll te

on't be necessary for

ced at Hepatica and grinned. "Good night,"

ter me. "But don't hesitate to call

come in time to see the babies take their bath. There is nothing I like bett

t stuck temptingly out from its folds. Azalea greeted me with enthusiasm, pushing back the loose, curling locks from her forehead as she did so, explaining that Bud had just pulled them down. She did

and dimpled and jolly, and he cried only once-when his mother inadvertently rubbed soap in his eyes while talking with me. When he smiled again he was a cherub of cherubs, but he had waked his small sister, and Azalea gave me permission to take her up while she finished with Bud

and dressed herself for the evening. She dressed both children, also, making them fresh as rosebuds. I saw her putting flowers on the table in the dining-room, lighting a special reading-lamp at a table in the co

aid I, "but I'm looking forward

ar sing," said Azalea contente

," I agreed; "but sur

dd, for his voice is much heavier, of course. But I can never take really high n

I really can't go away without hearing you. And you know when

insisted, "so I can't very well sing for the Ph

railing skirts. I don't know how she managed to play her own accompaniment, but she did-at least subdued chords enough to carry the harmony of the song. There were no notes before h

w, the picture of her, sitting in the half light at the grand piano, with the babies in her arms and at her knee, singing lullabies and leaving the fine music for he

up with satisfaction at sight of the three who met him at the door, and the welcome his young son gave him showed that Bud recognized

g in the half light at the

her knee ... was

as busy at this task, but he excused himself toward the last, and went tiptoeing upstairs, where I think he m

new she was needed in the kitchen. "Don't make a bit of noise," I cautioned

her, in an awestruck way. "I did

he room. "If you would only store away really important facts

, "or I shall say the wrong thing. And how on earth do they come to know en

n these points, adding that Az

high Q now, I suppose?" in

. I mean th

r's arm was about his wife's shoulders; he removed i

shier took him by the shoulders and turned him toward the light, laughing. "That was brav

le servant. We talked gaily, the Cashier proving an adept at keeping the ball i

had reached a momentary halt, Azalea went to the piano. "Come, Arthur," she said, sitti

ngly. "You are the one they wa

en, but never you, I think. Besides, it w

lea," I urged. "I'd like nothing so wel

said. "You were specially privileged to hear it at al

it. Where so much volume came from we could not tell, as we looked at the thin frame of the performer. Why the babies did not wake up will ever remain a mystery. Why Azalea did not desert her accompaniment to press her hands over bursting ear drum

r. I groped hurriedly for a compliment which would match

e babies are awake,"-and felt annoyed that I could have said

is as quick-witted as he is good-humour

singing. I only discovered his voice by accident. It needs much more work with it, of

chose an old ballad, one with no chance in it to show the range of her voice. She sang it exquisitely, and the Cashier stood by and turned her music a

with an expression on his face which indicated that he wanted to

else," suggested the

dded. "Yes-and something else,"

the door closed upon the warm farewells which had sent us out into

est of night-lights showed. "Yes, it's very small," I a

smaller than the biggest musical auditorium in the city w

abies," I replied, as we walked slowly on, "you would ha

a pleasa

is o

ability of musical prodigi

knowledge of any art make one

strike in, at your home, that summer," said the Philosopher. "But I

questions to-day about Hepatica's housekeeping. I wish I had had a chance before I went to tell her

'll be no occasion for their friends to demand more music of an evening than is good for her pride of spirit," chuckled the

e two hours! No, no-h

ce you've been here without two alert chaperons

hat we should give them n

alk the whole

tient guard and rushed upon the train. "Now

ilt for the Toreador

to Co