Vaguely she saw Miss Honey, relaxed on the red throne, smile in her sleep, one arm falling over the broad seat. Was it in her dream that some one in a blue and white apron--not Delia, for Delia was singing--leaned back slowly in the long basket-chair and closed her tired eyes? Who was it that held the General close in her arms, and smiled as he patted her cheek at the familiar song, and mumbled her fingers with happy, cooing noises? My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream! The General's head was growing heavy, but he smiled confidingly into the dark eyes above him and stretched himself out in full-fed, drowsy content. One hand slipped through the lace under his cheek and rested on the singer's soft breast. She started like a frightened woman, and her voice broke. Down in the hall the butler and the maid sat on the lower stair. "Ain't it grand?" she whispered, and Haddock nodded dreamily. "Mother used to sing us that in the old country," he said. "There was Tom and 'Enry an' me--Lord, Lord!" The General was asleep. Sometimes a tiny frown drew his eyebrows together. Sometimes he clenched and uncurled his warm hands. Sometimes he sucked softly at nothing with moist, reminiscent lips. But on and on, over and over, rose and fell the quaint old song. My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream! It flooded the hushed house, it spread a net of dreams about the listening people there and coaxed them back to childhood and a child's protected sleep. It seemed a song that could not stop, that must return on its simple refrain so long as there were arms to encircle and breasts to lean upon. Two men came softly up a smaller stair than the grand entrance flight, and paused in amazement at sight of Caroline stretched full length across the threshold. The older and smaller of the men had in fact stepped on her, and confused and half awake, she listened to his apologies. "Sh! sh!" he whispered excitedly, "not a vordt! not a vordt! Mein Gott! but it is marvelous! My friend, vot is this?" He peeped behind the drawn curtains and withdrew a face of wonder. "It is nodding but children--and they sleep!" he hissed. "Oh, but listen, listen! And I offered her fifteen hundert dollars for two hours only of that!" The other man peeped behind the curtains in his turn, and seizing Caroline by the arm tiptoed with her to a farther room. "What--who--what is the meaning of this?" he whispered hoarsely. "That child--where----" Caroline rubbed her eyes. The golden voice rose and fell around her. "General--Delia," she muttered, and stumbled against him. He lifted her limp little body and laid it gently on a leather sofa. "Another time," he said softly to the other man, "I--we cannot talk with you now. Will you excuse us?" The man looked longingly at the curtains. "She will never do more well than that. Never!" he hissed. "Oh, my friend, hear it grow soft! Yes, yes, I am going."