give any weight to a professional opinion, Miss Lestrange," the
young baritone said, "I can assure you you sing your part in that
duet--or in anything else I've heard you sing--very well indeed. Very
well indeed."

"Ah, now Georgie's happy," said Lady Adela, with a laugh, as the
blushing damsel cast down her eyes. "Well, I propose that we all go into
the drawing-room, and we'll hear for ourselves how Pastora and Damon
sing together. You may make as much noise as ever you like; the children
are in Hampshire; Hugh is in Scotland; the servants are out of hearing;
and our neighbors are a long way off."

This suggestion, coming from the lady of the house, was of the nature of
a command, and so they leisurely trooped into the great drawing-room,
where the candles were still burning. But there was something else than
these artificial lights that attracted the sharp eyes of Miss Georgie
Lestrange the moment she entered this new apartment. There was a
curious, wan kind of color about the curtains and the French windows
that did not seem natural to the room. She walked quickly forward, drew
the lace hangings aside, and then, suddenly, she exclaimed,

"Why, it's almost daylight! Look here, Adela, why shouldn't we have a
rehearsal of the whole piece, from end to end--a real rehearsal, this
time, on the lawn? and Rose can tell us all how we are to stand, and Mr.
Moore will show us what we should do besides merely speaking the lines."

This bold proposal was greeted with general acclaim, and instantly there
was a bustle of preparation. Lady Sybil began to tune her violin by the
side of the open piano; Lady Rosamund, who was at once scene-painter and
stage-manager, as it were, got out some sheets of drawing-paper, on
which she had sketched the various groups; and Lady Adela brought forth
the MS. books of the play, which had been prepared under the careful
(and necessary) supervision of Lionel Moore.

"Rockminster will have to figure as the audience," his eldest sister
said, as she was looping up her long train of silver-gray satin
preparatory to going out.

"That is a part _I_ could play to perfection," put in Miss
Lestrange's brother.

"Oh, no," Lady Adela remonstrated. "You may be wanted for Palaemon. You
see, this is how it stands. The young shepherd was originally played at
Drury Lane by a boy--and in Dublin by an actress; it is a boy's part,
indeed. Well, you know, we thought Cis Yorke would snap at it; and she
was eager