The spell of night and song was on him; that and something more; for it is a strange, inexplicable fact that the most practical chief ever known to the "Herald" had a singularly sentimental influence over her subordinates, from the moment of her arrival.

Under Harkless's domination there had been no more steadfast bachelors in Carlow than Ross Schofield and Caleb Parker, and, like timorous youths in a graveyard, daring and mocking the ghosts in order to assuage their own fears, they had so jibed and jeered at the married state that there was talk of urging the minister to preach at them; but now let it be recorded that at the moment Caleb laid his hand on Bud's other shoulder, his associate, Mr.Schofield, was enjoying a walk in the far end of town with a widow, and it is not to be doubted that Mr.Tipworthy's heart, also, was no longer in his possession, though, as it was after eight o'clock, the damsel of his desire had probably long since retired to her couch.
For some faint light on the cause of these spells, we must turn to a comment made by the invaluable Mr.Martin some time afterward.

Referring to the lady to whose voice he was now listening in silence (which shows how great the enthralling of her voice was), he said: "When you saw her, or heard her, or managed to be around, any, where she was, why, if you couldn't git up no hope of marryin' _her_, you wanted to marry _somebody_." Mr.Lige Willetts, riding idly by, drew rein in front of the lighted windows, and listened with the others.

Presently he leaned from his horse and whispered to a man near him: "I know that song." "Do you ?" whispered the other.
"Yes; he and I heard her sing it, the night he was shot." "So!" "Yes, sir.

It's by Beethoven." "Is it ?" "It's a seraphic song," continued Lige.
"No!" exclaimed his friend; then, shaking his head, he sighed: "Well, it's mighty sweet." The song was suddenly woven into laughter in the unseen chamber, and the lights in the windows went out, and a small lady and a tall lady and a thin old man, all three laughing and talking happily, came down and drove off in the Briscoe buckboard.