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that bordered the wood. Her brood was with her, 

 and now and then she stopped and scratched, caUing 

 to them to come and get what she had found. The 

 little chickens and partridges followed her through 

 the sunny grass, peeping softly. 



Presently Laura came down to the field to drive 

 them home. 



She was quite close to them when suddenly 

 from the shadow of the wood sounded the call of a 

 partridge. The little ones raised their heads and 

 listened. Again it sounded, and then swiftly and 

 silently as tiny shadows all the little partridges ran 

 into the woods, slipping in among the bushes and 

 undergrowth, and so were lost to sight, 



Laura hunted about for them, and called them, 

 and old Dorcas clucked loudly to them to come 

 back, but they were gone and the little girl thought 

 she would never see them again. 



Some months after the partridges disappeared, 

 Laura and her mother were sitting on the porch, 

 when, with a loud whirr, something flew past them 

 and against the window so hard that a pane of glass 

 was splintered. They heard a thud of something 

 falling in the room beyond. Laura's mother put 

 down her sewing and hurried into the house. 



