230 ANCIENT SUSSEX GAME OF STOOLBALL 



who, after whispering the magic word " Labyrinth," 

 passed on to the dark shadows of the Irish yews. 



Next day, the only discovery that came to 

 reward us for our night vigil was that a beautiful 

 named carnation, one specially valued and there- 

 fore easily recognised, was found far from the plot 

 of ground where it had been placed after its 

 greenhouse days, and lying cast upon the ground 

 near the home of the blue gentians. This was 

 proof to us that some one had meant to carry off 

 other flowers but, hearing perhaps whispers and 

 footsteps, had been deterred from doing so, and 

 in hurried flight had left this one flower behind. 



The whole world, even that of our peaceful 

 garden, seems just now filled with spycraft and 

 suspicion, which makes it all the more restful to 

 go out on a summer's morning into the happiness 

 and enjoyment of sunlight to see what the flowers 

 can tell. It is the day of the College stoolball 

 match, and as our captain is most desirous that 

 her team should play well in a contest with a 

 " crack " opposing eleven, she decides that the 

 morning's work shall, for once, not be over- 

 strenuous. I meet her therefore leading a band 

 of twenty-four students through mazes of per- 

 golas and narrow walks, where pink cluster roses 

 vie with white ones as to which look most beauti- 

 ful against a deep blue sky. Not only are names 

 of different varieties noted, though these are 

 written plentifully in their little pocket-books, 

 but the young women are also given an object- 

 lesson as regards beauty of colour and graceful 

 growth, and their attention is drawn to what con- 



