A moment later Dexie appeared, and the sea of expectant faces made her tremble.  What if she should fail?

The appearance of this bright young girl, bowing before them, caused a moment’s hush to fall upon the people.  Was she the “warbler,” and what was the character of the performance that was rated so highly?  After an exquisitely rendered interlude, Dexie’s clear whistle joined the accompaniment, and seemed to hold the listeners spell-bound.  At its close a moment of silence followed, but when Lancy rose from the instrument the applause began, and grew louder and more deafening, and Mr. Ross hurried to Dexie’s side as she left the stage.

“You must come forward again, Miss Sherwood; that encore is not to be resisted,” as the thunderous applause grew in volume.

She took Lancy’s arm at last, and stepped forward and bowed her acknowledgement.  But that was not enough; nothing but a repetition would satisfy the enthusiastic audience, and when Mr. Ross asked her to give “The Mocking Bird” she felt obliged to consent.  Mr. Ross had rightly judged a Halifax audience when he said it would not be content with one performance, and not till the strains from the piano rang through the building, followed by the appearance of Dexie, did the uproar cease.

Lancy played a long interlude to give Dexie time to compose herself, then the first strains of the familiar song floated softly through the hall, and very tender and touching did the words sound as they fell from Lancy’s lips, for genuine feeling was behind them.  It was like a passage in a love-story, and where is the person that does not enjoy the repetition of some passages, even though they may, at the same time, pronounce them silly and sentimental in the extreme?

Dexie stood near the piano.  Her soft, low whistle seemed to come from a distance, then floated nearer and nearer, gaining strength and volume as the song progressed; and when Lancy sang “Listen to the Mocking Bird,” the joyous, bewildering notes of the birds she was imitating seemed floating directly overhead, then receded as the next verse was sung, returning fuller and sweeter to accompany the chorus, each verse seeming to grow more tender and beautiful, and, when it ended, the enraptured audience showed their appreciation by applauding with all their strength.

“No; I cannot go out again,” Dexie said, as Mr. Ross urged her to appear once more in answer to the call.  “It is not fair to the rest, for there are other things on the programme much nicer.”

“Just this once more,” Lancy pleaded, his eyes shining with satisfaction.

“Come on to the stage, at least, Miss Sherwood,” said Mr. Ross, “or they will have the house down over our ears.  May I announce that you will whistle again at the conclusion of the programme?” and Dexie had to consent.  Mr. Ross led her to the front of the stage, and the audience, expecting another repetition, subsided into silence; but it was soon broken when the announcement was made that they should have another selection later on.