t of Gems," from its wrapping of newspaper, and Sam Henderson
had once more mounted the tread-mill of the organ, and was trampling
out the opening bars of the solo. Tilly and a few of her companions
were in convulsions of giggles by this time, but when Gavin's rich
voice burst into the first notes, every one was hushed and attentive.
He sang without the slightest effort, pouring out the melodious sounds
as a robin sings after rain.

"In days of old when knights were bold,
And barons held their sway,
A warrior bold with spurs of gold
Sang merrily his lay,
Sang merrily his lay

'My love is young and fair,
My love has golden hair,
And eyes so blue
And heart so true
That none with her compare;
So, what care I though death be nigh,
I live for love or die!
So, what care I though death be nigh,
I live for love or die!'"

It was a gallant lay of love and war and deathless devotion but only
one as unsophisticated as Gavin could have sung it. For while it was
held quite proper for a young man to sing of war in a public way, no
one with a sense of the fitness of things would dare to raise his voice
in a love song, alone, before an audience of his fellows. But Gavin's
voice brought the warrior's gallant presence so vividly before them
that not even Tilly felt like smiling, and there was a sober hush as
the song went on to tell how the brave knight

"Went gaily to the fray.
He fought the fight
But ere the night
His soul had passed away.
The plighted ring he wore
Was crushed and wet with gore,
But ere he died
He bravely cried,
'I've kept the vow I swore!
So what care I though death be nigh,
I live for love or die.
I've fought for love, for love I die!'"

The singer put all the valour of his brave young heart into the song,
all its pent up feeling. For Gavin Hume had been born a real diamond
in a dark mine of poverty and ill-usage; he had been dug up, and
polished and smoothed by the loving hands of the three Grant Girls and
his character was beginning to shine with the lustre that comes only
from the real jewel. But very few people knew this, he was too shy to
give expression to the high aspirations that thrilled his heart, and
only in such songs as this did his soul find a medium of expression.
There was a day coming swiftly upon him, that was to try to the utmost
all the pent up valour of his reticent nature, but as yet that day was
all undrea