, dear, he whispered--

NOW even the organ could not calm. She had tasted the sweet of life--and
it had been torn away. For what--

SUDDENLY hate possessed her--hate for this man who would rule the
world--causing whole nations to rise up against him to defend their
soil--hatred for the power that had brought despair into unknown lives--

BROUGHT murder into peaceful souls.

THE days followed each other in bleak sameness.

SHE moved among the wounded--a shadow self--

BUT at twilight each day, Janet lived. She played the Miserere--with her
soul. Then again--the moving dazed form would return to help the men
lying on mattresses where once peasants had knelt in prayer--

VI

HER music became divine. The Miserere sobbed out into the cold night
air--cleansing her soul of hatred--even Peace--a joy--

THE air was rent by whistling shells--the organ throbbed under her
touch--

HUGH--forever--

* * * * *

THERE was left only a mass of charred stones--a blackened wall--

A CRUCIFIX still erect.

THE church had been unregarded by the enemy.

THEY had passed--leaving desolation--

DEATH had found Janet at the organ--a free soul--

* * * * *

SEVERAL months later in the casualty list of a London newspaper appeared
the name of Hugh Brandon.

THE FIFTH SYMPHONY [_To R. S. L._]

"_------It is clear that the transmutation which the subject of the
Allegro undergoes just before the close of the symphony is of the same
psychological order as that of the Fate motive--a change from clouds to
sunshine, from defeat to triumph._"

_From Ernest Newman's criticism of Tschaikowsky._

To all outward appearances there was nothing unusual about the
rehearsal. The musicians had assembled--and very softly the andante of
Tschaikowsky's Fifth Symphony in E minor had begun--a dream-like
wave--which little by little swelled--and dropped again--now as a
hymn--a plea for unknown happiness.

Dasha Ivanovna Tortsov played. Since the first time she had heard
this Slavic Symphony, one snowy night in Moscow, she had loved it. Queer
yet beautiful ideas were brought by it into her mind--_The String
Movement_--plentiful crops--full hearts of joy--But how could her heart
be joyful? What right ever had she to be playing Russian music? She had
deserted--left--talked against Russia, exaggerated the oppressions, the
sufferings, had ridiculed all that others held sacr