"No, it is not presumption," said Miss Winthrop. "It was true kindness
and courtesy, which has been ill requited. But you see, to be frank,
Mr. Fleet, we all fear that you do not realize what you are
undertaking."

"Must I of necessity be an ignoramus because, as Miss Brown says, I
sweep a store?"

"Let me play the accompaniment," said Christine, with the decided
manner that few resisted, and she went correctly through the difficult
and brilliant passage. Dennis followed his part with both eye and ear,
and then said, "Perhaps I had better sing my part alone first, and
then you can correct any mistakes."

There was a flutter of expectation, a wink from Mr. Mellen, and an
audible titter from Miss Brown.

"Certainly" said Miss Ludolph, who thought to herself, "If he will
make a fool of himself, he may"; and she played the brief prelude.

Then prompt at the proper moment, true to time and note, Dennis's rich,
powerful tenor voice startled and then entranced them all. He sung the
entire passage through with only such mistakes as resulted from his
nervousness and embarrassment.

At the close, all exclaimed in admiration save Miss Brown, who bit her
lip in ill-concealed vexation, and said, with a half-sneer, "Really,
Mr. What-is-your-name, you are almost equal to Blind Tom."

"You do Blind Tom great injustice," said Dennis. "I read my music."