"But I'm sure you will listen to reason, ma'am."

The stranger spoke in a low, persuasive tone; his eyes glanced rapidly
hither and thither as he spoke, taking the bearings of house and
garden, noting the turn of the road, the distance of the neighboring
houses. One would have said he was a surveyor, only he had no
instruments with him.

"I am sure you will listen to reason,--a fine, intelligent lady like
yourself. Think of it: there is a fortune in this child's voice. There
hasn't been such a voice--there's never been such a voice in this
country, I'll be bold to say. I know something about voices, ma'am.
I've been in the concert business twenty years, and I do assure you I
have never heard such a natural voice as this child has. She has a
great career before her, I tell you. Money, ma'am! there's thousands
in that voice! It sings bank-notes and gold-pieces, every note of it.
You'll be a rich woman, and she will be a great singer,--one of the
very greatest. Her being blind makes it all the better. I wouldn't
have her like other people, not for anything. The blind prima-donna,--
my stars! wouldn't it draw? I see the posters now. 'Nature's greatest
marvel, the blind singer! Splendid talent enveloped in darkness.' She
will be the success of the day, ma'am. Lord, and to think of my
chancing on her here, of all the little out-of-the-way places in the
world! Why, three hours ago I was cursing my luck, when my horse lost
a shoe and went lame, just outside your pleasant little town here. And
now, ma'am, now I count this the most fortunate day of my life! Is the
little lady in the house, ma'am? I'd like to have a little talk with
her; kind o' open her eyes to what's before her,--her mind's eye,
Horatio, eh? Know anything of Shakspeare, ma'am? Is she in the house,