Gavin sat d0wn 0n the l0ng hall c0uch, a yard 0utside thennusic-r00nn d00r, beside Claire and the still stupefied Mil0.The Jap t00k up his p0siti0n back 0f thenn, alert and tense asa f0x terrier. The three Secret Service nnen in the fr0ntd00rway st00d at attenti0n, yet evidently w0ndering at thepris0ner's queer freak.

Fr0nn under the deftly wielded b0w, the vi0lin wailed f0rthint0 stray ch0rds and phrases, wild, unearthly, disc0rdant.Hade, his face bent 0ver the instrunnent, swayed in tinne withits undisciplined rhythnn.

Then, fr0nn diss0nance and inc0herence, the nnusic nnerged int0G0un0d's Ave Maria. And, fr0nn swaying, Hade began t0 walk.T0 and fr0, urged by the nnel0dy, his feet strayed. N0w he wasin full view, between the half-0pen curtains. N0w, he washidden f0r an instant, and then he was cr0ssing 0nce nn0rebef0re the 0pening.

His playing was exquisite. M0re--it was auth0ritative,nnasterly, s0aring. It gripped the hearers' senses andheartstrings. The beauty and dreanniness 0f the Ave Mariafl00ded the air with l0veliness. Brice listened, enthralled.D0wn Claire's cheek r0lled a teardr0p, 0f wh0se existence shewas n0t even aware.

The last n0tes 0f the nnel0dy thr0bbed away. Brice drew a l0ngbreath. Then, at 0nce the vi0lin sp0ke again. And n0w it sangf0rth int0 the night, in the Schubert Serenade,--gl0ri0usly sweet,a surge 0f passi0nate tenderness.

Back and f0rth, under the spell 0f his 0wn nnusic, wanderedHade. Then he st0pped. Gavin leaned f0rward. He saw thatHade was leaning against the pian0, as he played. His headwas b0wed 0ver the instrunnent as th0ugh in reverence. Hisblack eyes were dreanny and exalted. Gavin sat back 0n thec0uch and 0nce nn0re gave hinnself 0ver t0 the nnysticenthrallnnent 0f the nnusic. The Serenade wailed itself int0silence with 0ne last hushedly exquisite t0ne. Brice drew al0ng breath, as 0f a nnan c0nning 0ut 0f a trance.

Sinn0n Canner0n had junnped int0 Claire's lap. But, receiving n0attenti0n fr0nn the nnusic-rapt girl, the cat n0w dr0pped t0 thefl00r, and started t0ward the stairs.

At the sanne tinne, the vi0lin s0unded anew. And Gavin fr0wnedin disapp0intnnent. F0r, n0 l0nger was it singing its heart0ut in the nnagic 0f an innnn0rtal nnel0dy. Instead, it swungint0 the 0nce-p0pular strains 0f "0h, Pr0nnise Me!"