"But they do," asserted Winn, smiling, as he gathered his roses, "and if your imagination is strong enough, you can feel their presence many times. I made sure there was one hid somewhere, that day I first heard you playing."
"And did you think so when you hid behind the rock and scared me half to death?" she queried.
"No," he responded, "I knew it was a real flesh and blood fairy then, for I had seen you come out of the gorge."
"And so you came back to scare me," she said playfully, "that wasn't nice. If you wanted to know who it was, why didn't you ask Uncle Jess? He would have told you."
"Yes, and spoiled all the romance of it," answered Winn. "It's like detecting the presence of nymphs and fairies. If you go to a grotto or cave alone and listen for them, you will feel or hear them always, in some way."
"If I believed that," replied Mona, seriously, "I would never go to the cave alone again. I should feel it to be haunted."
"But you admit you can play better there, and feel more of the spirit of your music," asserted Winn; "tell me why that is."
"Because I am alone, and feel myself to be so," she answered firmly. "I do not believe it is due to any unseen creature."
"But you played with wondrous feeling the day I came there with you," he replied, "you weren't alone then."
"I am glad you think so," she answered, turning away, "I tried to, but was so afraid of you, I trembled."