The Sorrows of a House Martin 25 



through her drooping eyelashes. The fact was 

 that she was every minute expecting something 

 wonderful to happen. What it would be she 

 could not in the least guess ; but that lovely Sep- 

 tember day it really seemed as if there might 

 be fairyland in the garden at last. Twice 

 before during that summer she had contrived to 

 have the garden to herself, without fear of in- 

 terruption from parents, brothers, servants, or 

 visitors ; but nothing wonderful had happened, 

 and this would probably be her last chance 

 before cold and wet set in. 



But in spite of her tea and her book and her 

 beloved solitude, Miss Gwenny was not at this 

 moment in quite such a happy frame of mind 

 as to deserve to have her garden turning into 

 fairyland. Several things had happened to vex 

 her ; and when one is vexed it is too much to 

 expect White Rabbits or Cheshire Cats or Mock 

 Turtles or March Hares to wait upon one at 

 pleasure and tell their tales. It was true indeed 

 that her brothers were well out of the way at 

 a cricket-match, and that her father and mother 

 Jhad just set out on a long drive, taking with 



