Al'mah

Al'mah was singing again, and Byng leaned forward eagerly.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Yet, apparently, not all the vast audience were hypnotized by the unknown and unheralded singer, whose stage name was Al'mah.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Once more Al'mah rose to mastery over the audience.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Yet Al'mah had not kissed her when she left, while expressing gratitude, too.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

The subordinate singers were quickly disposed of before the curtain, then Al'mah received her memorable tribute.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Al'mah was unmarried, so far as the world knew, and a man of Byng's kind, if not generally inflammable, was very likely to be swept off his feet by some unusual woman in some unusual circumstance.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Al'mah had smiled her way through the world; with a quick word of sympathy for any who were hurt by the blows of life or time; with an open hand for the poor and miserable, -- now that she could afford it -- and hiding her own troubles behind mirth and bonhommie; for her humour, as her voice, was deep and strong like that of a man.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

"But, how did you know it was Al'mah?" he asked blankly.

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Al'mah looked round the rather formal sitting-room, with its somewhat incongruous furnishing -- leopard-skins from Bechuanaland; lion-skins from Matabeleland; silver-mounted tusks of elephants from Eastern Cape

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

But, all this horrid flippancy aside, do you really think I should have talked like this, or been so exigent about the cloak, if I hadn't known everything; if I hadn't been to see Al'mah, and spent an hour with her and knew that she was recovering from that dreadful shock very quickly?

The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897