Kilmeny of the Orchard

thing like it. It is impossible that a deaf mute could play like that. ”

“ Oh, she isn’t deaf, Master,” re- sponded Mrs. Williamson, looking at Eric keenly through her spectacles. She picked up her knitting and fell to work again. “ That is the strange part of it, if anything about her can be stranger than another. She can hear as well as anybody and understands everything that is said to her. But she can’t speak a word and never could, at least, so they say. The truth is, nobody knows much about her. Janet and Thomas never speak of her, and Neil won’t either. He has been well ques- tioned, too, you can depend on that; but he won’t ever say a word about Kilmeny and he gets mad if folks persist.”

“ Why isn’t she to be spoken of? ” queried Eric impatiently. “ .What is the mystery about her? ”

“ It’s a sad story, Master. I suppose the Gordons look on her existence as a sort of disgrace. For my own part, I

76