nthrop joined his commands; so I complied, with a German martial
song; and then, rising quickly, I went to the further side of the room,
and took a seat beside Mrs. Hill.

"You have got tired before the rest of us, dear."

"I would not like to tire you. Mr. Bovyer is going to play now, and we
shall none of us be in danger of weariness."

And he did play as I had never heard him do before, filling the room with
harmonies that sometimes grew painful in their excess of sweetness.
Conversation ceased utterly--a compliment not usually paid to musicians,
I had noticed, in Cavendish.

I glanced occasionally at Mr. Winthrop, who had taken a seat not far from
where I was sitting. He sat with eyes closed, but not betraying, by a
single muscle of the strong, self-contained face, that the music was
affecting him in the slightest.

"This evening has given us something to remember until our dying day,"
Mrs. Hill said, with a deep sigh of satisfaction, after Mr. Bovyer ceased
playing. "It was exceedingly kind in Mr. Winthrop permitting us to share
in the evening's enjoyment."

"Was it for this he invited you?" I asked, with surprise.

"That was the inducement to leave our homes on Christmas Day. But we do
not need a special inducement to come to Oaklands; we always consider
it a high privilege to be Mr. Winthrop's guest."

"Yes, he can be very charming when he chooses," I said, unthinkingly, but
very sorry for my remark directly it was uttered. "Then you were only
invited here this morning, since Mr. Bovyer had only just arrived?" I
asked.

"Oh, no, indeed; our invitations were received a week ago. Mr. Winthrop
knew he was coming."

All these people knew Mr. Bovyer was coming, and a gala time planned for
Christmas, and I was kept in ignorance. Mr. Winthrop don't regard me of
enough importance to be intrusted with the merest trifles of everyday
life, I thought, sorrowfully; but just then my eye fell on the ring, when
it flashed into my gloomy heart a ray of light brighter than any sunbeam.

The two following days I was so absorbed in my Christmas tree that I paid
very little attention to our guest, or anything going on about me, save
what was directly connected with the duty in hand. A list of all the
names had first to be got, and then each gift properly labeled. Muslin
bags, ornamented with bright-colored wools, were to be made, and filled
with nuts and confectionery; and, last of all, the tree had to be
dressed. Mr. Bow