The Bars of Iron

nd his audience listened spell-bound. His own love for it amounted to a passion, inherited, so it was said, from

ning eyes. She had never heard anything to compare

te intention. Every chord he struck seemed to speak to her directly, compelling her attention, dominating her will. He was playing to her alone, and, though she chose to ignore the

such music as probably it had never before uttered, was enthralled also, but only in a superficial sense.

out his magic flood of music with eyes fixed straight before him and lips that

ent reason, he fell headlong from his heights and burst i

t nearly whirled her off her feet, finally ended with a crashing chord, and whizz

e laughed. "You'll dance the Tham

collapsed condition. "You-yo

n't you know? I can make anybody do anything

ed from her sofa. "It's called hyp

w," said Piers. "And wh

ling me Uncle

"I have a special nam

ding. He cast a daring

arning stocking

Avery because you are s

not resp

ttle. "I expect

ly. "Only because we are ch

lounging comfortably on

appeal to you as queen

d to drop the title of

lady in q

ot raise her eyes. She worked on, still with

dubious. "I don't think

ld you?"

one of Gracie's fingers began to pick out an

," said Grac

pretty, isn't it? It's-

rum, getting angrier and angrier every moment." He hammered out his impertinent little melody with fevered energy, protest from Gracie notwithstanding. "No, you've never seen her in a tantrum of course. Thank your lucky stars you haven't! It's an awful sight, take my word for it! She calls you a brute and nearly knocks you down wit

en, releasing Gracie's hand, brought his i

the music-stool. "I could show you another Avery, but she is not on vie

ir, caressed Jeanie's, and strolled across to

f you to tolerate me

Avery, without

gleam in his own that came a

?" he said, a queer inflection that

above her stocking. "Not

em then?" Piers t

g her reply. "I generally try t

nd darn stockings

o your music,

?" He shot the questi

y no

yish eagerness about him now. He lean

in. "Do you ev

said

y n

ouch of bitterness. "No one

a mistake!

His voice so

larity is pleasant. Everyone likes it. But do you suppose the really big people think at all about the world's opinion when they are at work? They just give of their best because nothing less would satisf

uddenly and returned to her work. For the fitful gleam in Piers' eyes had leaped

he had not seen it. "So I'm a genius, am I?" he said, and laughed a careless

sat down on the edge of it. Her

ice. "That's what I meant when I was trying to re

said Avery

and the hobgoblins-that know anything about it. It's a wicked spell concocted by the King of Evil himself, and it's only under that spel

uzzled frown, but Gracie's im

t of leave is. Nurse's uncle had one. It means you

ers grimly. "When

as flushed and a little distressed. "How ca

pon someone else's, of making that other person see things as you want them to see them-not as they really are. It's the power of deception carried to a superlative degree. And wh

as a hand rapped s

in from her work. "

whispered Gracie to

en his teeth, and Lennox Tudor opened

s look passed her almost instantl

iers flippantly. "Well? Who is the latest

shook hands with Aver

er

e my patient," he

ng his broad shoulders. "And I'm coming again-by special

sham!" said Avery

took her extended hand

-Mrs. Deny

off," cried Gracie, attach

"I haven't said good-bye to

e by Jeanie's sofa. Her

come again?"

your next court?"

o his. "I love to see you-always,

I?" sai

t with a tenderness that must have charmed any child to utter confidenc

"I will. Good-n

answered softly, "

e as he went away, and she wonder