Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charlz Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. MELODY by LAURA E. RICHARDS 1894 TO THE LOVELY MEMORY OF My Sister, JULIA ROMANA ANAGNOS. CONTENTS I. THE CHILD II. THE DOCTOR III. ON THE ROAD IV. ROSIN THE BEAU V. IN THE CHURCHYARD VI. THE SERPENT VII. LOST VIII. WAITING IX. BLONDEL X. DARKNESS XI. LIGHT "_Minded of nought but peace, and of a child_." SIDNEY LANIER. CHAPTER I. THE CHILD. "Well, there!" said Miss Vesta. "The child has a wonderful gift, that is certain. Just listen to her, Rejoice! You never heard our canary sing like that!" Miss Vesta put back the shutters as she spoke, and let a flood of light into the room where Miss Rejoice lay. The window was open, and Melody's voice came in like a wave of sound, filling the room with sweetness and life and joy. "It's like the foreign birds they tell about!" said Miss Rejoice, folding her thin hands, and settling herself on the pillow with an air of perfect content,--"nightingales, and skylarks, and all the birds in the poetry-books. What is she doing, Vesta?" Miss Rejoice could see part of the yard from her bed. She could see the white lilac-bush, now a mass of snowy plumes, waving in the June breeze; she could see the road, and knew when any of the neighbors went to town or to meeting; but the corner from which the wonderful voice came thrilling and soaring was hidden from her. Miss Vesta peered out between the muslin curtains. "She's sitting on the steps," she said, "feeding the hens. It is wonderful, the way the creatures know her! That old top-knot hen, that never has a good word for anybody, is sitting in her lap almost. She says she understands their talk, and I really believe she does. 'Tis certain none of them cluck, not a sound, while she's singing. 'Tis a manner of marvel, to my mind." "It is so," assented Miss Rejoice, mildly. "There, sister! you said you had never heard her sing 'Tara's Harp.' Do listen now!"