Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net THE MASTER'S VIOLIN BY MYRTLE REED Author of "Lavender and Old Lace" "Old Rose and Silver" "A Spinner in the Sun" "Flower of the Dusk" Etc. New York _GROSSET & DUNLAP_ Publishers COPYRIGHT, 1904 BY MYRTLE REED BY MYRTLE REED: A Weaver of Dreams Old Rose and Silver Lavender and Old Lace The Master's Violin Love Letters of a Musician The Spinster Book The Shadow of Victory Sonnets to a Lover Master of the Vineyard Flower of the Dusk At the Sign of the Jack-o'-Lantern A Spinner in the Sun Later Love Letters of a Musician Love Affairs of Literary Men Myrtle Reed Year Book This edition is issued under arrangement with the publishers G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, NEW YORK AND LONDON Contents CHAPTER PAGE I--THE MASTER PLAYS 1 II--"MINE CREMONA" 20 III--THE GIFT OF PEACE 33 IV--SOCIAL POSITION 50 V--THE LIGHT OF DREAMS 65 VI--A LETTER 81 VII--FRIENDS 91 VIII--A BIT OF HUMAN DRIFTWOOD 105 IX--ROSEMARY AND MIGNONETTE 120 X--IN THE GARDEN 127 XI--"SUNSET AND EVENING STAR" 144 XII--THE FALSE LINE 159 XIII--TO IRIS 177 XIV--HER NAME-FLOWER 182 XV--LITTLE LADY 199 XVI--AFRAID OF LIFE 215 XVII--"HE LOVES HER STILL" 233 XVIII--LYNN COMES INTO HIS OWN 247 XIX--THE SECRET CHAMBER 265 XX--"MINE BRUDDER'S FRIEND" 280 XXI--THE CREMONA SPEAKS 298 I The Master Plays The fire blazed newly from its embers and set strange shadows to dancing upon the polished floor. Now and then, there was a gleam from some dark mahogany surface and an answering flash from a bit of old silver in the cabinet. April, warm with May's promise, came in through the open window, laden with the wholesome fragrance of growing things, and yet, because an old lady loved it, there was a fire upon the hearth and no other light in the room. She sat in her easy chair, sheltered from possible draughts, and watched it, seemingly unmindful of her three companions. Tints of amethyst and sapphire appeared in the haze from the backlog and were lost a moment later in the dominant flame. In that last hour of glorious life, the tree was giving back its memories--blue skies, grey days just tinged with gold, lost rainbows, and flashes of sun.