Go over there and play me a couple of
good old tunes, and then we'll both trot to bed."
Miss Lady's soft untrained voice began bravely enough. She described
with feeling the charms of Annie Laurie, and was half way through
Robin Adair before she faltered, started anew, stumbled again, then
came to an ignominious halt.
"Tut! tut!" said the Colonel fussily, getting himself out of his chair
in an incredibly short time for so stout a gentleman. "This won't do,
you know; this ain't right!"
"It's that silly old piece!" said Miss Lady petulantly. "It always
works on my feelings."
"But it wouldn't make you cry like this. Come, tell me."
"There's nothing to tell--that is--"
"Well, never mind then. Just cry it out. That's right. Don't mind me.
Just your old Dad." And with much fussing and petting and foolish
assurances that he was her Daddy, he got her over to the sofa. Sitting
on the floor with her arms across his knees, she wept with the
abandonment of a child, while his short, stubby fingers tenderly
stroked her shining hair. At last when the storm had subsided and she
was able to look up, he took her face between his hands.
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