"There ought to be an echo somewhere here," he said, as they came
opposite one of the hills, and he gave the Australian "coo-ee!" in a
clear, ringing voice, which the echo sent back in a musical imitation.
"How true it was!" she said, and she opened her lips and sang a bar or
two of the "Elsie" song.
Stafford listened to the echo, which was almost as soft and sweet as
the girl's notes.
"What a wonderful voice you have!" he said, almost unconsciously. "I
never heard a sweeter. What was that you sang?"
"That thing of Wagner's," she replied; and quite naturally she began
the air and sang it through.
Stafford let the boat drift and leant upon the oars, his eyes fixed on
her face, a rapt and very eloquent admiration in his own.
"Ah--beautiful!" he said in a low voice. "What a delight it must be to
you to be able to sing like that! I can understand a whole theatre
crying over that song sung as you sing it!"
She glanced at him with an affectation of languid amusement; but she
was watching him intently.
"That's not the best in the opera," she said. "I like this better;" and
she sang the "Swan" song; sang it so low that he leant forward to catch
the notes which flowed like silver from her soft, red lips; and when
she finished it he drew a long breath and still leant forward looking
at her.
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