and let's have it over with."

"Hurry up?" echoed Bee, rousing herself. "Hurry up what?"

"The kissing, of course. Get it over with quick! I want to go on
playing. I'm in the mood."

"Go on playing then," cried Bee, a thread of indignation in her tone.
"I'm not going to kiss you."

"You're not?" The boy stared at her incredulously. "Why, you're a girl!
They all do it."

"Nonsense! I don't kiss boys."

"Not even if they are Infant Prodigies?"

"No; not even then," she returned. "I never heard of anything so absurd
in my life."

"You haven't, eh? Let me tell you that I have. Wait! you'll be as bad
as the rest of them."

He began to play again, watching her with curious half-shut eyes to note
the effect. Nocturnes, obligatos, and finally the wonderful music of
Chopin, followed in quick succession. The girl did not move, but sat
like one entranced. All at once he paused, and bent toward her with an
inviting smile.

"Now," he said in a winsome voice.

Bee did not stir, but gazed at him uncomprehendingly, too much absorbed
to realize what he meant.

"Now," he repeated commandingly.

The girl roused herself.

"Oh," she breathed. "Are you going to stop? I think the angels must play
like that!"

With an angry motion the lad thrust his bow into his left hand, and held
out his right toward her.

"See that hand?" he demanded. Bee looked at it in perplexity.

"Yes; why?"

"That's the hand that made that music."

"Yes, I know," she answered gently. "It's ever so much smaller than
mine, and whiter too." She held out her own slim brown hand and
compared the two.

"Aren't they little bits of fingers?" went on the Prodigy. "Who would
think that such little things could make such divine music? See the
dimples at the knuckles! Aren't they dear?"

"Don't," cried Bee in disgust. "I was entranced with the music, and now
you are spoiling it all by saying such foolish things."

"And don't you intend to kiss that hand?" ejaculated Percival in
astonishment.

"Of course not," answered Bee, rising. "I must go, Percival. Your
playing is marvelous, and I do hope that you will let me listen to you
again. Come over and see me. And I want you to meet my father. I wish
you would play for him."

"Well, you are a funny girl! If I had played like that before an
audience, the women and girls would have smothered me with kisses."

"I shouldn't think you would like it," exclaimed Bee.

"I wouldn't mind you," spoke Percival