After a moment, he said: 

“Thank you.  I shall buy the music in order to secure the words.  Lily——­”

He paused, bent down, and rested his chin on the large coil of hair at the back of her head, and though she never knew it his proud lips touched the glossy silken mass.

“Lily, if I ask a foolish trifle of you, will you grant it, as a farewell gift to your guardian?”

“I think, sir, you do not doubt that I will.”

“It is a trivial thing, and will cost you nothing.  The night on which you sang those songs to Llora is associated with something which I treasure as peculiarly precious; and I merely wish to request that you will never sing them again for any one unless I give you permission.”

Swiftly she recalled the fact that on that particular evening he had escorted Mrs. Carew to a “German” at Mrs. Quimbey’s, and she explained his request by the supposition that her songs to Mrs. Carew’s child commemorated the date of his betrothal to the grey-eyed mother.  Could she bear even to think of them in coming years?

She hastily pushed back the ivory stops, and shaking off his detaining palms, rose: 

“I am sorry that I cannot do something of more importance to oblige my kind guardian; for this trifle involves not the slightest sacrifice of feeling, and I would gladly improve a better opportunity of attesting my gratitude.  You may rest assured I shall never sing those words again under any circumstances.  Do not buy the music; I will leave my copies for Llora, and you and her mother can easily teach her the words.”

“Thanks!  You will please place the music on the organ, and when I come back from Cincinnati it will remind me.  I hope your mother will be pleased with you progress in French German, and music.  Your teachers furnish very flattering reports, and I have enclosed them with some receipts, bills, and other valuable papers in this large sealed envelope, which you must give to your mother as soon as you see her.”

He went to his desk, took out the package, and handed it to her.  Seating himself at the table where she generally wrote and studied, he pointed to a chair on the opposite side, and mechanically she sat down.

“Perhaps you may recollect that some months ago, Mrs. Orme wrote me she was particularly desirous you should be trained to read well.  It is a graceful accomplishment, especially for a lady, and I ordered a professor of elocution to give you instruction twice a week.  I hope you have derived benefit from his tuition, as he has fitted one or two professional readers for the stage, and I should dislike to have your mother feel disappointed in any of your attainments.  Now that I am called upon to render an account of my stewardship, I trust you will pardon me, if I examine you a little.  Here is Jean Ingelow, close at hand, and I must trouble you to allow me an opportunity of testing your proficiency.”