The girl leaned forward at last with eager interest and laid her friendly hand on his. She had a trick of leaning forward like that when talking to him that had always amused Stuart. He watched the flashes of light in her eyes beneath their long lashes and the quiver of the mobile mouth. "Tell me what you are thinking about, Jim?" she said, a smile flitting around her tender, expressive eyes. Stuart noticed two dainty dimples come with the smile in the faintest suggestion of coquetry. "I was seeing a vision, little pal," he began slowly--"the vision of a gala night of Grand opera. Broadway blazed with light and I was fighting my way through the throng at the entrance to hear a great singer whose voice had begun to thrill the world. At last amid a hush of intense silence, she came before the footlights, saw and conquered. The crowd went mad with enthusiasm. For once an American audience forgot its cold self-possession. Men leaped on their seats, cheered and shouted as Frenchmen or Italians. Women in resplendent gowns and jewels rose in their boxes and split their gloves clapping their hands. And through it all the singer stood bowing in simple dignity, looking over the sea of faces as if in search of one she knew. I lifted my hat and waved it on high until she saw. A beautiful smile lighted her face and straight over the heads of the people she blew me a kiss----" [Illustration: "'I was seeing a vision, little pal'"] The tiniest frown clouded the girl's brow. "Who was she, Jim?" "One who shall yet sing before Kings and Princes--I call her 'Sunshine'--her name is Harriet Woodman." With a sigh of relief she threw herself back in the big armchair in a pose of natural grace, her lips twitched, the golden head tipped to one side thoughtfully, and he waited for her to speak. "But, Jim, suppose I'm not ambitious? Suppose I'm just a silly little home body who only wishes to be loved?" "And so you will be loved. They will come in troops--these lovers--serious and gay, and fall at your feet----" "But if I only want one--and he is not there--they will tire me, won't they?" "When I see those two dimples come into your cheeks now and then I think you will enjoy it." "Perhaps I would." The head nodded in quick friendly understanding. She raised her arms and touched the bow of ribbon on her luxuriant hair with another suggestion of coquetry, quickly lowered them, drew the short skirt down further over her knees, gazed thoughtfully at Stuart, and with a quizzical look in her eyes asked: "How old do you think a girl must be to really and deeply and truly love, Jim?" Stuart's brow contracted and he took her hand in his, stroked it tenderly and studied the beautiful lines as they melted from the firmly shaped wrist into the rounded arm and gracefully moulded body.