rimrose whispered.

'The voice--not the ballad.'

'Nor I either,' said Prim. 'I don't see what he sings it for.'

There was but a moment's interval, and then the same voice
began another strain, so noble, so deep, so thrilling, that
every breath was held till it had done. The power of the voice
came out in this strain; the notes were wild, pleading,
agonizing, yet with slow, sweet human melody. The air thrilled
with them; they seemed to float off and lose themselves
through the woods; sadly, grandly, the song breathed and fell
and ceased. Wych Hazel did not speak nor stir, nor look,
except on the ground, even when the last notes had died away.
Only her little hands held each other very close, her cheeks
resting on them.

'Yes, I know,' said Primrose softly. 'That is Handel.'

Stuart Nightingale presently slid back to his seat; and now
there came a stir; the music was discontinued. In a few
minutes Rollo came bringing refreshments; Mr. Nightingale
bestirred himself in the same cause; and presently they were
all eating ices and fruits. At which juncture Miss Josephine
joined herself to the party, with one or two of her sort,
while several gentlemen began to "fall in," behind Miss
Kennedy.

'Did you have a good time at Merricksdale?' Josephine asked.

'Not better than usual,' Hazel answered.

'Danced, didn't you? I wanted mamma to have dancing to-night,
and she wouldn't. She's so awfully slow! O Mr. Rollo, do you
like dancing?'

'On anything but my own feet,' said Rollo.

'Anything but your own feet? How _can_ you dance on anything but
your own feet?'

'My horse's feet? Or what do you think of a good yacht and a
good breeze?'

'Horrid! I never want to be in one. And _don't_ you like
dancing? O why? Don't you, Miss Kennedy? don't you, Mr.
Nightingale?'

'Depends on the dance,' said Stuart. 'And on my partner.'

'O it don't signify what partner you have. In fact, you dance
with everybody, you know. That is the best fun. Don't you like
the German, Miss Kennedy?'

'Not with everybody,' said Miss Kennedy, thinking of possible
partners.

'O but you must, you know, in the German--and that's the fun. I
don't think anything else _is_ fun. Of course the people are all
proper. Don't you like the German, Mr. Rollo?'

'I do not dance it.'

'_Not?_ Don't you? O why? You do dance, I know, for I've seen
you; you waltz like a German, a man, I mean. Why don't you
dance the German?'

'How does a German--a man,