ndon. Maurice happened to inquire
where it was that she had heard of Lionel's illness.

"In Glasgow," said Nina. "I saw about it in a newspaper yesterday; I
came up by the train last night, because--because--" here some slight
color appeared in the pale, clear complexion--"because if an old friend
is very ill one wishes to be near." And perhaps it was to escape from
this little embarrassment that she proceeded to say: "Oh, they are so
kind, the Glasgow people; I have never seen such domesticity." She
glanced at Maurice, as if to see whether the word was right; then she
went on. "When I was engaged by the director of the Saturday Evening
Concerts he told me that they had to change their singers frequently;
that if I wished to remain in Glasgow or Edinburgh I must sing at
private concerts and give lessons to have continual employment. And
there was not much difficulty; oh, they are so enthusiastic, the Scotch
people, about music!--to sing in the St. Andrew's Hall or the City
Hall--and especially if you sing one of their own Scotch songs--the
enthusiasm, the applause--it is like fire going through the nerves.
Well, it is very pleasant, but it is not enough employment, even though
I get one or two other engagements, like the Edinburgh Orchestral
Festival. No, it is not enough; but then I began to sing at musical
evenings, in the fashionable private houses, and also to give lessons in
the daytime; and then it was I began to know the kindness of that
people, their consideration, their benignitance to a stranger, their
good-humor, and good wishes to you. Oh, a little brusque sometimes, the
father of a family, perhaps; the lady of the house and her
daughters--never! More than once a lady has said to me, 'What, are you
all alone in this big town?--my daughters will call for you to-morrow
and take you to the Botanic Gardens; and after you will come back to
tea.' Or, again, they have shown me photographs of a beautiful large
house--like a castle, almost--on the side of a hill, among trees; and
they say, 'That is our house in the summer; it is by the sea; if you are
here in the summer, you must come and stay with us, and you will play
lawn-tennis with the girls and go boating with them and fishing all day;
then every evening we will have a little concert--'"

"I beg your pardon," interposed the blunt-tongued doctor, "but do you
call that Scotch hospitality, Miss Ross?--to invite a professional
singer to their houses and get her se