to be endured.

How selfish his life had been after all. Every dream and struggle had
been for himself. A feeling of shame overspread his soul as he watched
the girl's soft little hand touch the strings, and he contrasted his
own life with the sweetness of her spirit. In all the years he had
known her he could not recall a single mean or selfish act. Her face
was not beautiful by the standard of artists, but the sunlight lingered
in her eyes, her hands were cunning, and her feet swift to serve those
she loved. For the last two years as she had blossomed into maidenhood,
a subtle fragrance had enveloped her being, making significant and
charming all she said or did, revealing new beauty and grace at every
turn.

From some shadowy memory of a Sunday's service in his boyhood came
floating into his heart the words "He that seeketh to save his life
shall lose it."

The groping hand that had been fumbling in the dark suddenly touched
the hidden spring, and the darkened soul was flooded with light. A
strange peace entered to abide forever. A man had been born again--of
the spirit, not the flesh.

The rapt look still held his face when the music had ceased, and
Harriet watched his expression for a moment in silence.

The girl leaned forward at last with eager interest and laid her
friendly hand on his. She had a trick of leaning forward like that when
talking to him that had always amused Stuart.

He watched the flashes of light in her eyes beneath their long lashes
and the quiver of the mobile mouth.

"Tell me what you are thinking about, Jim?" she said, a smile flitting
around her tender, expressive eyes.

Stuart noticed two dainty dimples come with the smile in the faintest
suggestion of coquetry.

"I was seeing a vision, little pal," he began slowly--"the vision of a
gala night of Grand opera. Broadway blazed with light and I was
fighting my way through the throng at the entrance to hear a great
singer whose voice had begun to thrill the world. At last amid a hush
of intense silence, she came before the footlights, saw and conquered.
The crowd went mad with enthusiasm. For once an American audience
forgot its cold self-possession. Men leaped on their seats, cheered and
shouted as Frenchmen or Italians. Women in resplendent gowns and jewels
rose in their boxes and split their gloves clapping their hands. And
through it all the singer stood bowing in simple dignity, looking over
the sea of faces as if in search o