FRANKNESS AND GARDENING 219 



"I like the decorative and inventive part of it," I 

 said, thinking into the fire, "but I believe" and here 

 I hesitated as a chain of peculiar green flame curled 

 about the log and held my attention. "That it is quite 

 as possible to overdo the house decoration with flowers 

 as it is to spoil a nice bit of lawn with too many fan- 

 tastic flower beds!" Bart broke in quite unexpect- 

 edly, coming behind me and raising my face, one hand 

 beneath my chin. "Isn't that what you were thinking, 

 my Lady Lazy?" 



"Truly it was, only I never meant to let it pop out 

 so suddenly and rudely," I was forced to confess. "In 

 one way it would seem impossible to have too many 

 flowers about, and yet in another it is unnatural, for 

 are not nature's unconscious effects made by using colour 

 as a central point, a focus that draws the eye from a more 

 sombre and soothing setting?" 



"How could we enjoy a sunset that held the whole 

 circle of the horizon at once ? " chimed in The Man, sud- 

 denly, as if reading my thoughts. " Or twelve moons ? " 

 added Bart, laughing. 



No, Mrs. Evan, I am convinced by so short a trial 

 as two weeks that the art of arranging flowers for the 

 house is first, your plan of having some to greet the guest 

 as he enters, a bit of colour or coolness in each room 



