第27章 THE LADY OF THE ROSES(2)

Had David but known it,he was at Sunny-crest,Hinsdale's one "show place,"the country home of its one really rich resident,Miss Barbara Holbrook.Had he also but known it,Miss Holbrook was not celebrated for her graciousness to any visitors,certainly not to those who ventured to approach her otherwise than by a conventional ring at her front doorbell.But David did not know all this;and he therefore very happily followed the shady path until he came to the Wonder at the end of it.

The Wonder,in Hinsdale parlance,was only Miss Holbrook's garden,but in David's eyes it was fairyland come true.For one whole minute he could only stand like a very ordinary little boy and stare.At the end of the minute he became himself once more;and being himself,he expressed his delight at once in the only way he knew how to do--by raising his violin and beginning to play.

He had meant to tell of the limpid pool and of the arch of the bridge it reflected;of the terraced lawns and marble steps,and of the gleaming white of the sculptured nymphs and fauns;of the splashes of glorious crimson,yellow,blush-pink,and snowy white against the green,where the roses rioted in luxurious bloom.He had meant,also,to tell of the Queen Rose of them all--the beauteous lady with hair like the gold of sunrise,and a gown like the shimmer of the moon on water--of all this he had meant to tell;but he had scarcely begun to tell it at all when the Beauteous Lady of the Roses sprang to her feet and became so very much like an angry young woman who is seriously displeased that David could only lower his violin in dismay.

"Why,boy,what does this mean?"she demanded.

David sighed a little impatiently as he came forward into the sunlight.

"But I was just telling you,"he remonstrated,"and you would not let me finish.""Telling me!"

"Yes,with my violin.COULDn't you understand?"appealed the boy wistfully."You looked as if you could!""Looked as if I could!"

"Yes.Joe understood,you see,and I was surprised when HE did.

But I was just sure you could--with all this to look at."The lady frowned.Half-unconsciously she glanced about her as if contemplating flight.Then she turned back to the boy.

"But how came you here?Who are you?"she cried.

"I'm David.I walked here through the little path back there.Ididn't know where it went to,but I'm so glad now I found out!""Oh,are you!"murmured the lady,with slightly uplifted brows.

She was about to tell him very coldly that now that he had found his way there he might occupy himself in finding it home again,when the boy interposed rapturously,his eyes sweeping the scene before him:--"Yes.I didn't suppose,anywhere,down here,there was a place one half so beautiful!"An odd feeling of uncanniness sent a swift exclamation to the lady's lips.

"'Down here'!What do you mean by that?You speak as if you came from--above,"she almost laughed.

"I did,"returned David simply."But even up there I never found anything quite like this,"--with a sweep of his hands,--"nor like you,O Lady of the Roses,"he finished with an admiration that was as open as it was ardent.

This time the lady laughed outright.She even blushed a little.

"Very prettily put,Sir Flatterer"she retorted;"but when you are older,young man,you won't make your compliments quite so broad.I am no Lady of the Roses.I am Miss Holbrook;and--and Iam not in the habit of receiving gentlemen callers who are uninvited and--unannounced,"she concluded,a little sharply.

Pointless the shaft fell at David's feet.He had turned again to the beauties about him,and at that moment he spied the sundial--something he had never seen before.