"Now that you have done me such good service," she said laughing, "and shown that mediocrity is my musical position, let us have some old-fashioned ballads, and all sing them together in sleigh-riding style."
"Pardon me, Miss Marsden, I assign you to mediocrity in nothing."
"O, no, not you; my own abilities place me there. But come, each one sing"; and she commenced a ballad, well known to the others, but not to him.
It sounded very well indeed, only Harcourt's bass was much too light for the other voices.
"Why don't you sing?" asked Lottie of Hemstead.
"I do not know the air or words."
"Shall we try Old Hundred?" asked De Forrest. "Ahem! The long metre doxology.
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
Addie and Harcourt joined in laughingly. Bel began with them, but stopped when she saw that Lottie did not sing.
"Do you believe that 'all blessings flow' from God?" asked Hemstead of De Forrest.