"Come, dear, there are so few of us you will sing, I know.

Mamma desired me to ask you when Edith had done." To her surprise Lillian complied, and allowed Talbot to lead her to the instrument.

Still hoping to win some sign of recognition from him, the girl chose an air he taught her and sang it with a spirit and skill that surprised the listeners who possessed no key to her mood.

At the last verse her voice suddenly faltered, but Talbot took up the song and carried her safely through it with his well-tuned voice.
"You know the air then ?" she said in a low tone, as a hum of commendation followed the music.
"All Italians sing it, though few do it like yourself," he answered quietly, restoring the fan he had held while standing beside her.
Provoking boy! why won't he know me?
thought Lillian.

And her tone was almost petulant as she refused to sing again.
Talbot offered his arm and led her to a seat, behind which stood a little statuette of a child holding a fawn by a daisy chain.
"Pretty, isn't it ?" she said, as he paused to look at it instead of taking the chair before her.