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Afterwards Kathlyn Rhodes 8030K 2023-09-02

"No, I'rey eyes frankly to Cheniston's face, and again Anstice, watching, felt a pang of whose nature he could have no doubt He rose fro his entreaties to those of Cheniston, but sank back again as he realized the favour was already won

"I will sing with pleasure" Iris turned on the lance at her hostess, and Anstice saw her face, pearly and luht "Mrs Carstairs, you like Dvorak Shall I sing you one of his gipsy songs?"

"Please, Iris" Feords of endear like real affection for the other, and Chloe's deep voice was always gentle when she spoke to Iris

The next moment Cheniston stepped back and took up his foran the siipsies of his native land

"Songsvanished!"

So far Anstice heard the pure, soft voice; and suddenly he felt a half-shy, half-reverential wonder as to what irl into the world Surely Fate had been cruel to this unknooman, inasmuch as Death had been perladdened by the vision of her child grown into this priceless, this wonderful youth, which held a hint of a yet racious, yet more desirable womanhood

And then the second verse stole softly on the quiet air

"Now I teach my children Each melodious measure"

Again did one, at least, of Iris' hearers lose the reht another vision--a vision in which Iris, this fair-haired girl who looked so adorably young and sweet, bent over a little child whose rose-leaf face was a baby replica of her own

And suddenly Anstice knew, knew irrevocably, beyond shadow of doubt, that he wanted Iris Wayne for himself, that she was the one woman in all the world he desired to make his wife

With a wild throb of his heart he looked up--to find Bruce Cheniston's eyes fixed upon his face with a half- there could be no question

An hour or so later, when the guests had departed, and Cheniston had finished a solitary pipe downstairs, he went up, yawning, to bed Passing his sister's open door he heard her call him, and after a second's indecision he answered the su why she were not already asleep