In answer to Ellen’s ring Jeremy himself appeared from the kitchen where he was wiping dishes. Ellen fluttered her check before his eyes. “It’s come! It’s come!” she cried. “A hundred and fifty dollars, dear man. Isn’t it perfectly wonderful?”

“No more than it should be, not as much, in fact, but I’m heartily glad. I had a notion you’d get a letter to-day, for I’ve just received one from Peter Barstow.”

“And did he say anything about the violin? He wouldn’t, of course.”

“Why not? That is just the very subject he did write about.”

“How exciting! Do tell me.”

But just here came a call from the kitchen: “Jeremy, Jeremy, stop that gossiping and come back and finish your work. Shut that door.”

“Yes, dear,” came the response. “Meet me at the church in half an hour,” said the good old man hurriedly to Ellen, who only too well understood the situation. Mrs. Todd’s orders were not to be ignored, and dear old Jeremy never attempted apologies.

So he returned to his dishes, and Ellen went back to her room to gloat over her check and to plan how it was to be spent. The time thus employed passed so quickly that Jeremy was already at the organ when she reached the church. He nodded to her, but continued to draw forth harmonious chords absorbedly. She picked up her violin, which she discovered lying on the bench, and held it lovingly till the last note from the organ died away.

Jeremy turned toward her with a smile. She held out the violin to him. “Please,” she said, and sat with chin in hands while he tuned up and then played a quaint old air. “One more,” said Ellen, “and then we’ll talk.”

Nothing loath Jeremy continued to play, ending with a note so fine and high that it seemed as if it must issue from a thread of gossamer.

Ellen drew a long sigh. “I wish I could play like that,” she said, “but now I never shall. I suppose I’m consumed with selfishness, but I do hate to give up the darling violin. One part of me is thankful and willing to do anything for Cousin Rindy, and the other part rebels like fury.”

“Perfectly human and natural,” declared Mr. Todd. “Your first impulse was strong enough not to make you hesitate a minute to make the sacrifice, so I don’t see that you need flagellate your soul so severely. You will always have music, always have the great gift of appreciation, and that means everything. No matter what discords there are without, one can always find harmony within.”

Ellen nodded. She knew where the outside discords lay, so far as he was concerned, and she knew of the sacrifices he made to keep peace. Others might laugh at that oft-reiterated, “Yes, dear,” but it prevented war, sweet bells jangled, and all that. “Now tell me what Don Pedro said,” she began, settling herself comfortably.

“He says just what one who knew him might expect. He wants me to come to see him, to bring the violin, and makes the excuse of sending me a ticket because I am employed as messenger, a pack-horse, you’d suppose, from his elaborate apologies for burdening me with so weighty an object as a violin, one so valuable that I am liable to be set upon by thieves and am running terrible risks.”

“Isn’t that just like Don Pedro? He never does a nice thing for you but he makes you think you are doing him a tremendous favor. Shall you go?”

“That’s as you say. Will you trust me with the violin?”

“You dear, silly man, of course I will. I am delighted that you have the chance of seeing your old friend, and there is no one I would rather entrust the violin to; you know that.”

“Will you take the organ next Sunday, and will you forego your usual Saturday lesson?”

“Of course. I have had my holiday, now you must take yours.”

“Then say farewell to the violin, for I leave to-night. Don Pedro wants me to come at once, for the boy is going home to get nursed up after his illness and will be comforted by the new possession. I expect to be gone a week. Bessie will have a friend staying with her, but you will drop in once in a while, won’t you, to see how she is getting along?”

Ellen promised. Then she took up the violin, held it close for a moment, reverently kissed it, handed it back to Mr. Todd, and with eyes full of tears, hurried from the church. It was a bigger sacrifice than she at first realized in her moment of exaltation, but it was done, and now to put aside sentimentality and turn to stern duty. She mopped her eyes, threw back her head, and marched steadily up street to the doctor’s, entering his office as he was preparing to leave.

“Well, miss,” was his greeting, “where have you been gadding? I was just wondering if you would get back in time to go to the hospital with me.”

“I went up home for a little while, and then I stopped in to see Mr. Todd at the church. He is going away to-night, and wants me to take the organ while he is gone.”

“Old Jeremy going to have a holiday, is he? That’s good. Where’s he going?”

“To the city to visit an old friend, and also to take my violin to the person who has bought it.” Ellen thought she might as well put a bold face upon the matter.

“Your violin? Oh, yes, I did hear that you had one given you. Don’t you want to play on it yourself?”

“I shall not have time for that and for the organ, too; besides, I don’t believe Cousin Rindy ever could stand hearing me squeaking out scales and exercises every day.”

“Humph!” The doctor nodded thoughtfully. “Didn’t I hear something about it having belonged to your father?”

Ellen’s lip trembled, and she did not trust herself to do more than nod affirmatively as the doctor shot her a keen glance. But she soon controlled herself and spoke steadily as she asked, “How long will it be before Cousin Rindy can leave the hospital?”

“In about a couple of weeks, I should say, but don’t you worry any about that; she is better off there than she would be anywhere else, and the longer you make your visit to Caro the better she and the rest of us will like it.”

“That’s mighty nice for you to say, but I know Cousin Rindy will be fretting till she gets back home; she does so hate to be idle.”

“A good rest won’t hurt her, and as for you, it isn’t to be supposed that you can take on housekeeping and nursing, too.”

“But I shall have to, for a while.”

“We’ll see about that. Are you ready to go?”

Miss Rindy’s face brightened as Ellen entered the room. These daily visits meant everything to her. Ellen saved up bits of gossip to tell her, cut out jokes from the newspapers, brought some interesting story to read to her, and cudgelled her brains for some new means of entertainment.

“Well, here’s the useless old hulk still cumbering the earth,” was Miss Rindy’s greeting on this special day. “If Sam Rowe doesn’t get me out of this room pretty quick, I’ll have to mortgage my house and sell my old carcass to the doctors for what it would bring after I’m gone, though, being damaged goods, it wouldn’t bring much.”

“How can you conjure up such ghastly things?” said Ellen, stooping to kiss her. “In this room you are going to stay till you are able to go home. Moreover, you are not to fret over it another minute. Look at this, if you please.” She produced her check and gave it into her cousin’s hands.

“Where did you get this? What have you been doing? Who is this Reed Marshall?”

“I’ve been doing nothing disgraceful. Just keep quiet and I’ll tell you all about it,” which she proceeded to do.

“But your father’s violin! I’m not going to consent to you selling it.”

“You can’t help yourself; the deed is done. Now listen to me, Cousin Rindy, and don’t work yourself up into a pepper-jig. You know perfectly well that the violin is a useless possession so far as I am concerned, and one who is always discoursing upon usefulness and scorning sentimentality should encourage me in getting rid of it.”

“But not for my benefit; the price should be set aside for your own educational advantages.”

“Educational advantages go to grass! But for you I might this minute be scrubbing down the back stairs of an orphan asylum. Do allow me the happiness of paying a little toward my debts.”

“But I know how delighted you were to have the violin, and it grieves me to have you give it up.”

“I am surprised at you, Orinda Crump; the idea of you encouraging me in maudlin sentiment, a practical body like you. Now don’t let’s hear any more about it. I have you where you can’t badger me, so let’s accept what Heaven has sent and say Thank you to Reed Marshall.”

“Who is he? You haven’t told me.”

“The young man who blacked up and came to Mr. Barstow’s party.”

“How old is he, and what does he look like?”

“‘Haven’t an idea’ answers both those questions; you remember I told you I never saw him really. Dr. Rowe says that Miss Sophia Garrett has been here to see you.”

“Yes, she came out this morning with a string of gossip that would reach from here to town. What’s this about Jeremy Todd? Sophy says he is going to the city, neglecting his work at the church and running up useless expense,” Miss Rindy laughed as she quoted Miss Sophia.

“How in the world did she find out that he is going? I only knew it to-day, myself.”

“Trust Sophy for finding out things, and her tales never lose by the telling. So he really is going?”

“Yes, he is going to visit Mr. Barstow, who is an old friend, and as he is to be the bearer of the violin, Mr. Barstow insists upon paying all his expenses, and I am to take the church music while he is away, which will be only over one Sunday.”

“Isn’t that just like Sophy to make a mountain out of a mole-hill? She reminds me of those scientist............