all he
could about tuning, and gave her several beginners' sheets of notes and
scales. She carried the violin in her arms as far as the crossroads at
the corner of their land, then reluctantly put it under the carriage
seat.

As soon as her work was done she ran down to Sintons' and began to play,
and on Monday the violin went to school with her. She made arrangements
with the superintendent to leave it in his office and scarcely took time
for her food at noon, she was so eager to practise. Often one of
the girls asked her to stay in town all night for some lecture or
entertainment. She could take the violin with her, practise, and secure
help. Her skill was so great that the leader of the orchestra offered to
give her lessons if she would play to pay for them, so her progress was
rapid in technical work. But from the first day the instrument became
hers, with perfect faith that she could play as her father did, she
spent half her practice time in imitating the sounds of all outdoors and
improvising the songs her happy heart sang in those days.

So the first year went, and the second and third were a repetition; but
the fourth was different, for that was the close of the course, ending
with graduation and all its attendant ceremonies and expenses. To Elnora
these appeared mountain high. She had hoarded every cent, thinking twice
before she parted with a penny, but teaching natural history in the
grades had taken time from her studies in school which must be made up
outside. She was a conscientious student, ranking first in most of her
classes, and standing high in all branches. Her interest in her violin
had grown with the years. She went to school early and practised half
an hour in the little room adjoining the stage, while the orchestra
gathered. She put in a full hour at noon, and remained another half hour
at night. She carried the violin to Sintons' on Saturday and practised
all the time she could there, while Margaret watched the road to see
that Mrs. Comstock was not coming. She had become so skilful that it was
a delight to hear her play music of any composer, but when she played
her own, that was joy inexpressible, for then the wind blew, the water
rippled, the Limberlost sang her songs of sunshine, shadow, black storm,
and white night.

Since her dream Elnora had regarded her mother with peculiar tenderness.
The girl realized, in a measure, what had happened. She avoided anything
that possibly could stir