Chapter 18   For the tail of the music-kite--the car of the
music-balloon rather, having thus descended near enough to the
earth to be a temptation to some of the walkers afoot, they must
catch at it! The moment the last-mentioned song was ended,
almost before its death-note had left the lips of the singer,
one of the friends' friends was on his feet. Without a word of
apology, without the shadow of a request for permission, he
called out in a loud voice, knocking with his chair on the
floor,  "Ladies an' gen'lemen, Mr. William Blaney will now favor
the company with a song."  Thereupon immediately a pale pock-
marked man, of diminutive height, with high retreating forehead,
and long thin hair, rose, and at once proceeded to make his way
through the crowd: he would sing from the stage, of course!
Hester and Vavasor looked at each other, and one whisper passed
between them, after which they waited the result in silence. The
countenance approaching, kindled by conscious power and
anticipated triumph, showed a whi