THE MAGIC SPECTACLES 5 



" Why what ? " said a Voice close beside her. 



"Why everything," she replied, looking about, 

 expecting to see the owner of the voice. 



The house stood quite below her, the garden 

 and orchard coming between. In the other 

 direction trees, in sociable groups of twos and 

 threes, straggled along until they crowded to- 

 gether to make the wood at the top of the hill. 

 It was very still for a moment ; she could hear the 

 river bubbling over the stones beyond the high- 

 way, the horse stamping as he shifted his footing 

 in the stable. 



"This is very queer," said Tommy- Anne, ad- 

 dressing Waddles, who was lying at her feet. 

 " Didn't you hear some one speak ? Why don't 

 you bark, sir ? " 



She walked around the oak and toward the 

 wood, but finding no one, returned to her seat, 

 and leaning her back against the tree, said 

 more earnestly than before, "I do wish I knew 

 why." 



" WHY WHAT ? " said the Voice, very much 

 louder than before. 



Tommy- Anne jumped to her feet and looked at 

 the great Oak, for the Voice came from that direc- 

 tion. All that could be seen was the furrowed 

 trunk, whose bark was split and scarred by 



