all hard, won't they? I bet you ten dollars I don't say that any more."
He espied Wesley and ran to show him a walnut too big to go through the holes, and Elnora and Margaret went into the house.
They talked of many things for a time and then Elnora said suddenly, "Aunt Margaret, I like music."
"I've noticed that in you all your life," answered Margaret.
"If dogs can't talk, I can make a violin talk," announced Elnora, and then in amazement watched the face of Margaret Sinton grow pale.
"A violin!" she wavered. "Where did you get a violin?"
"They fairly seemed to speak to me in the orchestra. One day the conductor left his in the auditorium, and I took it, and, Aunt Margaret, I can make it do the wind in the swamp, the birds, and the animals. I can make any sound I ever heard on it. If I had a chance to practise a little, I could make it do the orchestra music, too. I don't know how I know, but I do."
"Did—did you ever mention it to your mother?" faltered Margaret.
"Yes, and she seems prejudiced against them. But, oh, Aunt Margaret, I never felt so about anything, not even going to school. I just feel as if I'd die if I didn't have one. I could keep it at school, and practise at noon a whole hour. Soon they'd ask me to play in the orchestra. I could keep it in the case and practise
