ncy are compelled to make their adieus.
Laura goes off with an airiness that would do Marcia credit, and avoids
any special farewell with her new sister-in-law. The professor remains,
and spying out the piano asks leave to open it.

"It is locked, I believe," says Violet, hesitatingly.

Floyd lifts the cover and looks at his wife in astonishment.

"It was locked," she says, defending herself from the incredulous
expression, "the morning after I came here,--and--I thought--the piano
is Laura's," she concludes.

"Did you try it more than once?" he asks.

"Yes." She blushes pitifully, but her honesty will not allow her to
screen herself to him. "You must never let him think a wrong thing
about you," says Denise, in her code of instructions.

It is not at all as she imagines. He is amazed that any member of his
family would do so small a thing as to exclude her from the use of the
piano.

"Well," he says, "you shall have one of your own as soon as Laura can
take hers away."

"Oh!" Her sweet face is suddenly illumined. How delightful it will be
through the long days when papa is away! She can begin to give Cecil
lessons.

"I suppose you are all for Beethoven," the professor is saying. "Young
people find such melody in 'Songs without Words.' But I want you to
listen to this nocturne of Chopin's, though it is not a morning song."

Violet listens entranced. Floyd watches her face, where the soft lights
come and go. If she could always look like that!

But Freilgrath cannot spend the whole morning at the piano. They are to
drive around, to see the place and the factory, to arrange some plans
for work.

"Cannot the pretty mother and child go?" he asks.

"Why, yes," Floyd answers, pleased with the notion.

They stop at the cottage, which the German thinks a charming nook, then
drive on to the factory. Violet and Cecil remain within while the two
men make a tour of inspection. Floyd's spirits have risen many degrees
in the past week. The machinery has worked to a charm, and demonstrated
much that St. Vincent claimed for it. There seems no reasonable doubt
of its success. Rising will be retained, and is empowered to hire any
of the old hands who will come back and obey orders. Several have given
in their allegiance, and some others are halting through a feeling of
indignation at being falsely accused. But the fact is patent now that
all along there has been a traitor or traitors in the camp.

Violet sits there in