COMMUTER'S WIFE 113 



and somebody else had a present that he was trying 

 to conceal. 



"Which am I to sit by for these?" I said, as I 

 turned from the flowers to the two men, who looked 

 expectant. 



" Oh, I didn't go over on purpose, dear child," said 

 father, quite innocently, drawing me down for his 

 twenty-five kisses. "I often make my trip to the 

 hospital early to take them unawares. It is well, you 

 know, sometimes. Yes, to be sure, this is rather ear- 

 lier than usual, but then, daughter, I wanted to have 

 a longer day with my children at home." 



Meanwhile Delia brought in the coffee biggin and 

 lit the lamp (I make the coffee, Martha being too 

 thoroughly steeped in English tea making to compass 

 the mystery). Still Evan did not sit down, but fidg- 

 eted about by the window. 



Seeking the cause, I too looked out, and there on 

 the piazza, was what at a glance seemed to be the 

 stock in trade of a nurseryman, all arranged sys- 

 tematically. There were bags of bulbs, rows of 

 prickly though leafless roses with their roots tied in 

 balls of moss, topless herbaceous plants, only iden- 

 tifiable by their labels ; a line of well-grown shrubs 

 leaned against the house, their roots, also, protected 

 with moss, while in the walk, quite safe and sound, 



