wn a wine； too； of so delicate an aroma that those within the charmed circle invariably lifted the thin glasses and dreamily inhaled its perfume before they granted their palates a drop。
Ah； those marvellous； unforgettable aromas that come to me out of the long ago with all the reminders they bring of clink of glass and touch of elbow； of happy boys and girls and sweet old faces。 it is forty years since they greeted my nostrils in the cool； bare； uncurtained hall of the old house in Kennedy Square； but they are still fresh in my memory。 Sometimes it is the fragrance of newly made gingerbread； or the scent of creamy custard with just a suspicion of peach…kernels； sometimes it is the scent of fresh strawberriesstrawberries that meant the spring； not the hot…house or Bermudaand sometimes it is the smell of roasted oysters or succulent canvas…backs！ Forty years agoand yet even to…day the perfume of a roasted apple never greets me but I stand once more in the old…fashioned room listening to the sound of Nathan's flute； I see again the stately； silver…haired； high…bred mistress of the mansion with her kindly greeting； as she moves among her guests； I catch the figure of that old darkey with his brown； bald head and the little tufts of gray wool fringing its sides； as he shuffles along in his blue coat and baggy white waistcoat and much…too…big gloves； and I hear the very tones of his voice as he pushes his seductive tray before me and whispers； confidentially：
〃Take a li'l ob de apple； sah； dat's whar de real 'spression oh de toddy is。〃
CHAPTER II
STRAINS FROM NATHAN'S FLUTE
It was one of those Friday evenings； then； when the smell of roast apples steeping in hot toddy came wafting out the portals of Malachi's pantrya smell of such convincing pungency that even the most infrequent of frequenters having once inhaled it； would have known at the first whiff that some musical function was in order。 The night was to be one of unusual interest。
Nathan Gill and Max linger were expected； and Miss Lavinia Clendenning； completing with Richard a quartette for 'cello； flute； piano； and violin； for which Unger had arranged Beethoven's Overture to 〃Fidelio。〃
Nathan； of course； arrived first。 On ordinary occasions another of those quaint ceremonies for which the house was famous would always take place when the old flute…player entered the drawing…rooma ceremony which brought a smile to the lips of those who had watched it for years； and which to this day brings one to those who recall it。 Nathan； with a look of quizzical anxiety on his pinched face； would tiptoe cautiously into the room； peering about to make sure of Richard's presence； his thin； almost transparent fingers outspread before him to show Richard that they were empty。 Richard would step forward and； with a tone of assumed solicitude in his voice； would say：
〃Don't tell me； Nathan； that you have forgotten your flute？〃 and Nathan； pausing for a moment； would suddenly break into a smile； and with a queer little note of surprise in his throat； and a twinkle in his eye； would make answer by slowly drawing from his coat…tail pocket the three unjointed pieces； holding them up with an air of triumph and slowly putting them together。 Then these two old 〃Merry…Andrews〃 would lock arms and stroll into the library； laughing like school…boys。
To…night； however； as Nathan had been specially invited to play； this little ceremony was omitted。 On entering the hall the musician gave his long； black； pen…wiper cloak and his hat to Malachi； and supporting himself by his delicate fingers laid flat on the hall…table； extended first one thin leg； and then the other； while that obsequious darky unbuttoned his gaiters。 His feet free； he straightened himself up； pulled the precious flute from his coat…tail pocket and carefully joined the parts。 This done； he gave a look into the hall…mirror； puffed out his scarf； combed his straight white hair forward over his ears with his fingers； and at Malachi's announcement glided through the open doorway to Mrs。 Horn's chair； the flute in his hand held straight out as an orator would have held his roll。
The hostess； who had been sitting by the fire； her white gossamer shawl about her spare shoulders； rose from her high…backed chair and； laying aside her knitting…needles and wools； greeted the musician with as much cordialityand it must be confessed with as much ceremonyas if she had not seen him a dozen times that week。 One of the charms of the Horn mansion lay in these delightful blendings of affection and formality。
〃Am I a little early？〃 he asked with as much surprise as if he were not as certain to be early when music was concerned as he was to be late in everything else。 〃Yes； my dear madamI see that I am early； unless Miss Lavinia is late。〃
〃You never could be too early； Nathan。 Lavinia will be here in a moment；〃 she answered； with a smile； resuming her seat。
〃I'm glad that I'm ahead of her for once；〃 he replied； laughing。 Then； turning to the inventor； who had come forward from where he had been studying the new score； he laid his hand affectionately on Richard's shoulder； as a boy would have done； and added： 〃How do you like Unger's new arrangement？I've been thinking of nothing else all day。〃
〃Capital！ Capital！〃 answered Richard； slipping his arm into Nathan's； and drawing him closer to the piano。 〃See how he has treated this adagio phrase；〃 and he followed the line with his finger； humming the tune to Nathan。 〃The modulation； you see； is from E Major to A Major； and the flute sustains the melody； the effect is so peculiarly soft and the whole so bright with passages of sunshine all through it oh； you will love it。〃
While these two white…haired enthusiasts with their heads together were studying the score； beating time with their hands； after the manner of experts to whom all the curious jumble of dots and lines that plague so many of us are as plain as print； Malachi was receiving Miss Clendenning in the hall。 Indeed； he had answered her knock as Nathan was passing into the drawing…room。
The new arrival bent her neck until Malachi had relieved her of the long hooded cloak； gave a quick stamp with her little feet as she shook out her balloon skirts； and settled herself on the hall…settee while Malachi unwound the white worsted 〃nubia〃 from her aristocratic throat。 This done； she； too； held a short consultation with the hall…mirror； carefully dusting； with her tiny handkerchief； the little pats of powder still left on her cheeks； and with her jewelled fingers smoothing the soft hair parted over her forehead； and tightening meanwhile the side… combs that kept in place the clusters of short curls which framed her face。 Then； with head erect and a gracious recognition of the old servant's ministrations； she floated past Malachi； bent double in her honor。
〃Oh； I heard you； Nathan；〃 she laughed； waving her fan toward him as she entered the room。 〃I'm not one minute late。 Did you ever hear such impudence； Sallie； and all because he reached your door one minute before me；〃 she added； stooping to kiss Mrs。 Horn。 Punctuality was one of the cardinal virtues of this most distinguished； prim； precise； and most lovable of old maids。 〃You are really getting to be dreadful； Mr。 Nathan Gill； and so puffed up isn't he； Richard？〃 As she spoke she turned abruptly and faced both gentlemen。 Then； with one of her rippling laughsa laugh that Richard always said reminded him of the notes of a birdshe caught her skirts in her fingers； made the most sweeping of courtesies and held out her hands to the two gentlemen who were crossing the room to meet her。
Richard； with the bow of a Cavalier； kissed the one offered him as gallantly as if she had been a duchess； telling her he had the rarest treat in store for her as soon as Unger came； and Nathan with mock devotion held the other between his two palms； and said that to be scolded by Miss Clendenning was infinitely better than being praised by anybody else。 These pleasantries over； the two old gallants returned to the piano to wait for Max Unger and to study again the crumpled pages of the score which lay under the soft light of the candles。
The room relapsed once more into its wonted quiet； broken only by the whispered talk of well…bred people careful not to disturb each other。 Mrs。 Horn had begun to knit again。 Miss Clendenning stood facing the fire； one foot resting on the fender。
This wee foot of the little lady was the delight and admiration of all the girls about Kennedy Square； and of many others across the seas； too men and women for that matter。 To…night it was encased in a black satin slipper and in a white spider… web stocking； about which were crossed two narrow black ribbons tied in a bow around the anklesuch a charming little slipper peeping out from petticoats all bescalloped and belaced！ Everything in fact about this dainty old maid； with her trim figure filling out her soft white fichu； still had that subtlety of charm which had played havoc with more than one heart in her day。 Only Sallie Horn； who had all the dear woman's secrets； knew where those little feet had stepped and what hopes they had crushed。 Only Sallie Horn； too； knew why the delicate finger was still bare of a plain gold ring。 The world never thought it had made any difference to Miss Lavinia； but then the world had never peeped under the lower lid of Miss Clendenning's heart。
Suddenly the hushed quiet of the room was broken by a loud knock at the front door； or rather by a series of knocks； so quick and sharp that Malachi started from his pantry on the run。
〃That must be Max；〃 said Richard。 〃Now； Lavinia； we will move the piano； so as to give you more room。〃
Mrs。 Horn pushed back her chair； rose to her feet； and stood waiting to receive the noted 'cellist； without whom not a note could be sounded； and Miss Clendenning took her foot from the fender and dropped her skirts。
But it was not Max！
Not wheezy； perspiring old Max Unger after all； walking into the room mopping his face with one hand and with the other lugging his big 'cello； embalmed in a green baize baghe would never let Malachi touch itnot Max at all； but a fresh； rosy… cheeked young fellow of twenty…two； who ca