“I’ll hope to find you in a better frame of mind to-morrow, Miss Sherwood,” he replied, giving her hand a cordial grasp.  “May I ask permission for Mr. Gurney to be present at the interview?”

“Oh, certainly.  I think you can safely venture to do so, seeing that he will probably come in of his own accord, if you don’t ask him,” and Lancy joined in the laugh raised at his expense.

“Well, that settles it, Mr. Gurney, I shall depend on your support in this difficult matter.  Now, before we separate, I think I am voicing the sentiments of the members here when I ask for one more song.  Now, Miss Sherwood, you have acknowledged that it does not tire you to whistle, so you will send us home in the best of spirits if you will favor us once more.”

Dexie placed her hands over her ears at the applause that greeted these words, and amidst the general laughter Lancy drew her to the piano.

“I am going to sing ‘The Mocking-Bird,’ so you must whistle,” he said.  “Come, Dexie, there is no backing out,” as she tried to escape him.

“Well, get Gussie to sing with you, and I will; perhaps it will help her good-nature a little—­it needs help,” she whispered, laughing.

On being sufficiently urged, Gussie stepped over to the piano beside them, and joined her alto to the chorus.

Dexie played and whistled, and, as the members listened, all joined Mr. Ross in thinking that their programme should hold this song also.

“Well, Miss Sherwood, I think you have kept the best to the last.  I have heard that song several times, but never ‘listened to the mocking-bird’ after all.  The song in itself is beautiful, but, after hearing you whistle, I see that it is imperfect with the mocking-bird left out.  This is rather a cold climate for that species of bird, Miss Sherwood, but I shall give a Halifax audience the pleasure of hearing one, if I have to import one from the South on purpose for the occasion.  To-morrow at three o’clock, remember, Mr. Gurney, and may the fates be propitious!”

When Mr. Sherwood learned of Dexie’s refusal to whistle, he was as eager to change her decision as any member of the club.

For once Gussie sided with Dexie, and said all she could to influence her against it, but her motive was so apparent that her father reproved her sharply.

When Mr. Ross and Lancy made their appearance, Dexie had to listen to the expostulations of three very urgent gentlemen; and though she held to her refusal for some time, she was obliged to capitulate at last, stipulating that she should only be asked to whistle one piece.  Mr. Ross was obliged to be content with this, but he found it hard to decide which of the pieces he would put upon the programme.

But a thought occurred to him, and he smiled as he considered it.  Yes, he would set down the new piece; and if he knew a Halifax audience, and he thought he did, one piece would not content them.  The others would do nicely for the “encore” which he knew would be demanded.