n the mountain and the
villa down by the lake; but not our Mrs. Milligan.

One afternoon we were playing in the middle of the road. The house
before us had a large iron gate; the house behind stood way back in a
garden. In the front of it there was a stone wall. I was singing my
loudest. I sung the first verse of my Neapolitan song and was about to
commence the second when we heard a weak strange voice singing. Who
could it be? What a strange voice!

"Arthur?" inquired Mattia.

"No, no, it is not Arthur. I have never heard that voice before."

But Capi commenced to whine and gave every sign of intense joy while
jumping against the wall.

"Who is singing?" I cried, unable to contain myself.

"Remi!" called a weak voice.

My name instead of an answer! Mattia and I looked at one another,
thunderstruck. As we stood looking stupidly into each other's faces, I
saw a handkerchief being waved at the end of the wall. We ran to the
spot. It was not until we got to the hedge which surrounded the other
side of the garden that we saw the one who was waving.

Lise! At last we had found her and not far away were Mrs. Milligan and
Arthur!

But who had sung? That was the question that Mattia and I asked as soon
as we found words.

"I," answered Lise.

Lise was singing! Lise was talking!

The doctors had said that one day Lise would recover her speech, and
very probably, under the shock of a violent emotion, but I did not think
that it could be possible. And yet the miracle had happened, and it was
upon knowing that I had come to her and hearing me sing the Neapolitan
song I used to sing to her, that she had felt this intense emotion, and
was restored to her voice. I was so overcome at this thought that I had
to stretch out my hand to steady myself.

"Where is Mrs. Milligan?" I asked, "and Arthur?"

Lise moved her lips, but she could only utter inarticulate sounds, then
impatiently she used the language of her hands, for her tongue was still
clumsy in forming words. She pointed down the garden and we saw Arthur
lying in an invalid's chair. On one side of him was his mother, and on
the other ... Mr. James Milligan. In fear, in fact almost terror, I
stooped down behind the hedge. Lise must have wondered why I did so.
Then I made a sign to her to go.

"Go, Lise, or you'll betray me," I said. "Come to-morrow here at nine
o'clock and be alone, then I can talk to you."

She hesitated for a moment, then went up the garden.