d, should have
been very merry, but these were not. The absence of their hosts made the
great house seem very empty. Nobody had heart for any music, though
Dorothy bravely brought out her violin and Helena took her place at the
piano, ready to accompany. But, unfortunately, the first melody which
came to Dolly's mind was one that Father John, Aunt Betty, and poor Jim
had each loved best--"Auld Lang Syne."

She mastered a few strains and the tears rose to her eyes. She suddenly
felt lonely and helpless, so far from all who had hitherto made her
happy world. So, rather than break down completely and let the tears
fall, she nodded to Helena and put her beloved Cremona "to bed," as she
called its placing in its case.

"Let's play 'Authors,'" suggested Molly.

"'Authors' is the dullest game going," objected Monty.

"That's because you're not well read. If you knew as much about books as
Jim Barlow--" she retorted, teasing, then stopped abruptly. That was an
unfortunate reference, for who, alas! could tell if that too studious
youth were alive or dead?

Alfaretta hurried to cover this mention by demanding:

"Let's sing 'rounds,' 'Scotland's burning,' or 'Three Blind Mice.' Now
don't stop to object or say nothin' but _just begin_. I will, and Nell,
you follow. Then the boys, if any of 'em can sing a note. Sometimes
their voices go 'way up in Q and sometimes 'way down suller. But they
can try. Now--here she goes: 'Three Blind Mice--Three Blind Mice--For
mercy's sake, Helena Montaigne, why don't you take it up? I sing one
line, you know, then you sing the same one over--and we each do it three
times then change to 'They--all--run--after--the--butcher's--wife--who--
cut--off--their--tails--with--a--carving--kni-i-ife!--You--never--see--
such--a--sight--in--your--life--as--Three--Blind Mice!' By that time
Dolly'll be ready, over cryin'. She can sing real nice if she's a mind
to. Listen! Everybody do it real solemn, no giggling, no forgettin'
your parts, where you go in and come out at and doin' that part about
the butcher's wife and the tails just as fast as you can speak it and
the end--as--s-l-o-w--a-s--s-l-o-w. Begin!"

Alfy's rich, though untrained voice, started the song and Helena
followed on time, singing very sweetly, indeed, until she came to that
tragic part about the tails, when she burst out in a giggle and a vain
effort to race along as rapidly as Alfy had done.

Herbert could sing well. He helped Alfaretta c