d noticed a slight tremor on his usually
steady lips.

"There is nothing in the old world or the new comparable to that
voice, and I flatter myself I speak _ex cathedra_. Miss Owen, you will
soon have the public at your feet."

She did not heed Mr. Granville's enthusiastic eulogy. She saw nothing
but Dr. Grey's admiring eyes,--felt nothing but the close warm clasp,
in which her folded fingers lay,--and her ears ached for the sound of
his deep voice.

"Salome, I shall not soon forgive you for keeping me in ignorance of
the existence of the finest voice it has ever been my good fortune to
hear. Knowing your adopted brother's fondness for music, how could you
hoard your treasure so parsimoniously, denying him such happiness as
you might have conferred?"

He untwined her fingers, which clung tenaciously to his, and saw that
the blood ebbed out of cheeks and lips as she listened to his
carefully guarded language. Silently she obeyed Miss Jane's summons to
the sofa.

"You perverse witch! Where have you been practising all these months,
that have made you such a wonderful cantatrice? Child, answer me."

"I did not wish to annoy the household by thrumming on the piano and
afflicting their ears with false flat scales, consequently I followed
the birds, and rehearsed with them, under the trees, and down on the
edge of the sea. If you like my voice I am glad, because I have
studied to perfect it."

"Like it, indeed! As if I could avoid liking it! But you must have had
good training. Who taught you?"

"I took lessons from Barilli."

"Aha,--Ulpian! Now you can understand how he contrives to feed his
family. Salome's sewing-money explains it all. Kiss me, dear. I always
believed there was more in you than came to the surface."

"Miss Owen ought to go upon the stage. Such gifts as hers belong to
the public, who would soon crown her queen of song."

Salome glanced at the handsome stranger, and bowed.

"It is my purpose, sir, to dedicate myself and future to the Opera,
where I trust I shall not utterly fail, as I have been for a year
studying with reference to this step."

A bomb-shell falling in that quiet circle, would scarcely have
startled its members more effectually; and, anxious to avoid comment,
Salome quitted the parlor and ran out on the lawn.

After awhile she heard Muriel's skilful touch on the piano, and, when
an hour had elapsed, the echo of voices died away, and soon a profound
silence seemed to reign o