"For our special benefit," announced Walter. "I don't believe there is another person seated in the place." But the girl sang on, each bar of her song of the times bringing her voice out clearer, and fuller. "I would like to see her face," said Cora to Ed. "There is something familiar about that voice." "Well, perhaps we can make a light," he replied. "I have as many as two matches, and the other fellows may have a couple." Bess leaned over to Cora. "Doesn't that sound like Nellie?" she asked. "I am sure she had just that queer lisp." "I was just saying the same thing," returned Cora. "Oh, if we only could find them--here, and have no further worry about them and their--foolish suicide note," for although Cora placed no credence in the drowning threat, she did not like it, and would very much preferred to have it put out of all possibility of occurring. Still the child sang on--all about the roses and the birds that seemed to get in a most dangerous tangle, until the listeners found it difficult to tell which was sweeter--the song of the birds, or the color of the roses! The Chelton party was not far from the place where the footlights ought to have been. "Suppose I go over there and strike a match," suggested Ed. "I can hold it up near her face, and then you will be able to get a glimpse." Acting on this plan he felt his way through the dark and deserted place, and did almost reach the stage. Then he struck a match! It went out. He lighted another--better luck this time, for it burned away while he jumped to the stage and almost thrust the little wooden taper into the face of the singer. The girl screamed, and seemed too frightened to move! The match went out, and, as the place was again black in darkness, the figure on the platform passed behind the curtain and was gone! CHAPTER XX THE GAIETY OF GOING "Oh, Glorious gaiety!" "Oh, delightful dissipation!" "Oh, luscious loafing!" "Oh, wayside wanderings!" These remarks emanated from the exuberant spirits of Jack Kimball, Paul Hastings, Ed Foster and Walter Pennington. It was a few evenings after the moving picture performance had ended so abruptly, and the young men insisted that this time they would "take in" some other attractions. The young ladies were almost equally enthusiastic, and therefore it was decided that the beautiful June evening be spent in the perfectly innocent sport of further sight-seeing at the select summer colony centre. On the other evening when Ed thrust the light under the eyes of the little singer, who was following the manager's instructions to "sing for all she was worth, to catch the crowd," and the girl had darted away, frightened at the rather daring act of attempt at recognition, Cora insisted that the singer was none other than Rose Catron. But the darkness and confusion of the place made it impossible for even the Chelton boys to make their way back of the stage and investigate further.