band in the pavilion stopped its music. Mercer slid his little steel
cross-piece over the guitar strings and began to play the haunting, crying
music of the islands, the music of moonlight and love. After a moment he
stopped abruptly.

"Anina, that little song you sang in the boat that day--you remember--the
day we went to the Water City? Sing it again, Anina."

She sang it through softly, just as she had in the boat, to its last
ending little half-sob.

Mercer laid his guitar on the sand beside him.

"You said that music talks to you, Anina--though sometimes you--you don't
understand just what it tries to say. I feel it that way, too--only--only
to-night--now--I think I _do_ understand."

His voice was very soft and earnest and just a trifle husky.

"You said that it was a love-song, Anina, and it was sad because love is
sad. Do you--think love is always sad?" He put out his hand awkwardly and
touched hers.

"Do you, Anina?" he whispered.

Her little figure swayed toward him. She half turned, and in her shining
eyes he saw the light that needs no words to make its meaning clear.

The timidity that so often before had restrained him was swept away; he
took her abruptly into his arms, kissing her hair, her eyes, her lips.

"Love isn't--always very sad, is it, Anina?"

Her arms held him close.

"I--I don't know," she breathed against his shoulder. "But it's--it's
very--wonderful."

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIRE PEOPLE***

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