"I wish I could play the piece you spoke of just now," Joy said; "is it very difficult?"
"Not at all! It is a fine old English ballad, but I have it somewhere arranged as a piece for the piano." He rummaged over a pile of music on a stand close by, and at last selected the piece he was looking for. "Here it is," he cried. "'The Last Rose of Summer' is not in fashion now, I believe, but I love the old tune. Take the music, my dear, and see if you can learn to play it."
"I will," Joy replied, earnestly.
Sir Jasper was in a sociable mood, and he detained the girls in conversation. Joy was getting over her first shyness of him, and talked in her usual frank fashion.
"I should like to be a great musician some day," she informed him, "and then I should earn a lot of money, shouldn't I?"
"Do you want to earn a lot of money?" he inquired, regarding her attentively.
"Oh, yes," she answered, "indeed I do. I should so like to be rich!"
He appeared a little disappointed at her answer, Joy thought, and a somewhat grim smile crossed his face. Celia looked put out and frowned at her sister, who came to the conclusion she had said something she had better left unsaid.