Her wild, pathetic melodies made our visitor's gray eyes flash with pleasure, and light up his cold face with gleams of feeling; but she was not gratified by his interest.

"I think it strange that you should like my music," she said crossly.
"Do you" he answered, amused at her tone, "perhaps it is; but why should I not as well as your friends here ?" indicating the old ladies.
"Ah, we like it very much," said the three, clicking their snuff-boxes.
"You, too, play ?" he asked me.
"Miss Cassy don't play," answered the three, looking at me over their spectacles.

"Miss Verry's sun puts out her fire." "Cassandra does other things better than playing," Veronica said to Mr.Morgeson.
"Why, Veronica," I said, surprised, going toward her.
"Go off, go off," she replied, in an undertone, and struck up a loud march.

He had heard her, and while she played looked at her earnestly.
Then, seeming to forget the presence of the three, he turned and put out his hand to me, with an authority I did not resist.

I laid my hand in his; it was not grasped, but upheld.