Kate the meaning of the song. The low, sweet cadences were full
of tender pleading, every note was tremulous with passion, while the
dark eyes holding her own seemed burning into her very soul.

But the spell of the music worked far differently from Walcott's hopes
or anticipations. Even while angry at herself for listening, Kate could
scarcely restrain the tears, for the tender love-strains brought back so
vividly the memory of those hours--so brief and fleeting--in which she
had known the pure, unalloyed joy of love, that her heart seemed near
bursting. As the last lingering notes died away, the pain was more than
she could endure, and, pleading a slight headache, she excused herself
and went to her room. Throwing herself upon the bed, she gave way to her
feelings, sobbing bitterly as she recalled the sudden, hopeless ending
of the most perfect happiness her young life had ever known. Gradually
the violence of her grief subsided and she grew more calm, but a dull
pain was at her heart, for though unwilling to admit it even to herself,
she was hurt at Darrell's absence on the occasions of Walcott's visits.

"Why does he leave me when he knows I can't endure the sight of that
man?" she soliloquized, sorrowfully. "If he would stay by me the
creature would not dare make love to me. Oh, if we could only just be
lovers until all this dreadful uncertainty is past! I'm sure it would
come out all right, and I would gladly wait years for him, if only he
would let me!"

As she sat alone in her misery she heard Walcott take his departure. A
little later Darrell returned and went to his room, and soon after she
heard her aunt's step in the hall, followed by a quiet knock at her
door.

"Come in, auntie," she called, wondering what her errand might be.

"Have you gone to bed, Katherine, or are you up?" Mrs. Dean inquired,
for the room was dark.

"I'm up; why, auntie?"

"Your father said to tell you he wanted to see you, if you had not
retired."

Mrs. Dean stopped a moment to inquire for Kate's headache, and as she
left the room Kate heard her sigh heavily.

A happy thought occurred to Kate as she ran downstairs,--she would have
her father put a stop to Walcott's attentions; if he knew how they
annoyed her he would certainly do it. She entered the room where he
waited with her sunniest smile, for the stern, gruff-voiced man was the
idol of her heart and she believed implicitly in his love for her, even
though it seldom fou