ple. Was she the "warbler," and what was
the character of the performance that was rated so highly? After an
exquisitely rendered interlude, Dexie's clear whistle joined the
accompaniment, and seemed to hold the listeners spell-bound. At its close a
moment of silence followed, but when Lancy rose from the instrument the
applause began, and grew louder and more deafening, and Mr. Ross hurried to
Dexie's side as she left the stage.

"You must come forward again, Miss Sherwood; that encore is not to be
resisted," as the thunderous applause grew in volume.

She took Lancy's arm at last, and stepped forward and bowed her
acknowledgement. But that was not enough; nothing but a repetition would
satisfy the enthusiastic audience, and when Mr. Ross asked her to give "The
Mocking Bird" she felt obliged to consent. Mr. Ross had rightly judged a
Halifax audience when he said it would not be content with one performance,
and not till the strains from the piano rang through the building, followed
by the appearance of Dexie, did the uproar cease.

Lancy played a long interlude to give Dexie time to compose herself, then
the first strains of the familiar song floated softly through the hall, and
very tender and touching did the words sound as they fell from Lancy's
lips, for genuine feeling was behind them. It was like a passage in a
love-story, and where is the person that does not enjoy the repetition of
some passages, even though they may, at the same time, pronounce them silly
and sentimental in the extreme?

Dexie stood near the piano. Her soft, low whistle seemed to come from a
distance, then floated nearer and nearer, gaining strength and volume as
the song progressed; and when Lancy sang "Listen to the Mocking Bird," the
joyous, bewildering notes of the birds she was imitating seemed floating
directly overhead, then receded as the next verse was sung, returning
fuller and sweeter to accompany the chorus, each verse seeming to grow more
tender and beautiful, and, when it ended, the enraptured audience showed
their appreciation by applauding with all their strength.

"No; I cannot go out again," Dexie said, as Mr. Ross urged her to appear
once more in answer to the call. "It is not fair to the rest, for there
are other things on the programme much nicer."

"Just this once more," Lancy pleaded, his eyes shining with satisfaction.

"Come on to the stage, at least, Miss Sherwood," said Mr. Ross, "or they
will have the house do