“Why, the music—way down in my heart, and all over me, just like I did at the concert. I don’t know what to call it, but it’s something, and I’ve tried to feel it for such a long time. And now I have, and it makes me so happy—so happy, you can’t know. It just makes me glad all through, and I feel like crying, too.”
“I am as happy as you, my own little Bird.”
Chee’s arms were around Gertrude’s neck, as she asked, “He did hear, didn’t He?”
“Yes, my comfort, He did hear,” answered Gertrude, tears again in her voice, “but you helped Him.”
“I helped Him?” echoed Chee, shaking her head almost sadly. “No, I wanted to so much, but He didn’t need me.”
After a little, Gertrude said, “Listen, while I tell you how you helped—you’ll see He did need you, after all.
“I love the violin, too—not as you do. I wanted to play because people expected I would. I felt too proud to say that, after years of study, I could never be a great player, and so I kept on working with one teacher after another. Finally, Mr. Farrar, that is my Herman, told me I had better not spend all my time and money for that any longer. He said I had come to a place where I could never go much beyond, and that I wanted to play more from pride than from love—just because my parents had decided, when I was but a child, that music was my first gift. I had found true what he said, but it made me angry that he should dare to tell me. I said some words back. He retorted. We’re both sorry now, but I was so vexed then, I said I would never touch the violin again. My temper offended him, his also rose, and he said he would not speak to me until I took back my words.
“It was the day I had set to come here. He was just going to the woods for his vacation, but he felt so sad he could not go, and went back home instead. Then one night he had a horrible dream that troubled him, so he came to see if I was really safe and well. He says that, down in his heart, he was hoping I was ready to take back my words.
“While he was wishing so much I would come to him—he was out under the trees, you know—he heard music. He thought for a moment I was playing, and when he reached me and found out I wasn’t—well, we were both so glad to be together again we forgot which one was to blame. It seemed very silly to have quarrelled at all when we understood and loved each other so. Anyway, now we are only glad to be together again and forget everything. Can’t you see how it might never have come right if you had not played when you did?”
Chee made no answer, her heart was full.