,
peaceful silence.

Suddenly Quincy spoke. "I had almost forgotten, Miss Pettengill, I
bought a new song yesterday morning, and I brought it with me. If you
have no objection I will try, it over."

"I always enjoy your singing," she replied.

He ran down stairs and soon returned with the music. He seated himself
at the piano and played the piece through with great expression.

"It is a beautiful melody," remarked Alice. "What is it?"

"It is a German song," replied Quincy, "by Reichardt. It is called
'Love's Request.' I will sing it this time."

And he did sing it with all the force and fervor of a noble, manly
nature, speaking out his love covertly in the words of another, but
hoping in his heart that the beautiful girl who listened to him would
forget the author and think only of the singer. How many times young
lovers have tried this artful trick, and in what proportion it has been
successful only Heaven knows.

"The words are very pretty, are they not?" said Alice. "I was listening
so closely to the melody that I did not catch them all."

"I will read them to you," rejoined Quincy, and going to the window,
where the light was still bright enough, he read the words of the song
in a low, impassioned voice:

"Now the day is slowly waning,
Evening breezes softly, softly moan;
Wilt thou ne'er heed my complaining,
Canst thou leave me thus alone?
Stay with me, my darling, stay!
And, like a dream, thy life shall pass away,
Like a dream shall pass away.

"Canst thou thus unmoved behold me,
Still untouched by love, by love so deep?
Nay, thine arms more closely fold me,
And thine eyes begin to weep!
Stay with me, my darling, stay!
And, like a dream, thy life shall pass away,
Like a dream shall pass away.

"No regret shall e'er attend thee,
Ne'er shall sorrow dim thine eyes;
'Gainst the world's alarms to 'fend thee,
Gladly, proudly, would I die!
Stay with me, my darling, stay!
And, like a dream, thy life shall pass away,
Shall pass away."

As Quincy finished reading, Leopold and Rosa came suddenly into the
room.

"We were not eavesdropping," explained Leopold, "but just as we were
going to enter the room we heard your voice and knew that you were
either reading or speaking a piece, so we waited until you had
finished."

"I was only reading the words of a new song that I brought down to Miss
Pet