Her father was standing near, and with smiling face she caught from his hand the handkerchief with which he was mopping his eyes, and kissed him, saying: "I learned that from the tunes you played on your anvil, dear smithy-man." Then she turned again to look for Louis.

Near the door she saw him, and with so strange a face, so wild a look, that, unheeding eager requests to sing again, she responded to the gesture he made, made her way through the crowd to the hall-way, and followed him up the stairs, and to the little boudoir beside her bedroom.

As she entered and shut the door, a low sound like a moan broke from him.

She went quickly to lay a hand upon his arm, but he waved her back.

"What is it, Louis ?" she asked, in a bewildered voice.