, and
said that you were to put it on. So I looked out a fresh tie and gloves
for Master Roland, so that he might not be left out. And if it keeps
fine, you can go down to the lodge to-day.'

'But we shall go to church, shan't we?'

'Oh no, your aunt said she couldn't hear of it. But if you're good
children, I'll take you down that way this afternoon, and you can peep
in and see the pretty flowers. James says it is lovely, and he has sent
a lot of flowers himself.'

Roland and Olive went downstairs to greet their aunts in great
excitement. They were to have breakfast in the dining-room for a treat,
and when they caught sight of the glittering glass and silver, with
great bowls and vases of golden daffodils in the centre of the table,
Olive exclaimed,--

'It's going to be a lovely day, Roland, from the very beginning! I wish
our breakfast table in the nursery was like this!'

[Illustration]

'Olive looks very well in that little serge frock,' remarked Miss Amabel
presently, looking across at her little niece with approval in her eyes;
'she is getting quite a pink colour in her cheeks, and has lost that
pinched, peaky look. I really think the measles did them both good!'

'And does Roland look nice too?' asked Olive quietly, being quite
accustomed to personal remarks from her aunts, 'because he has got a new
tie on. It's a pretty blue one.'

'Does everybody wear something new on Easter Sunday?' Roland asked
quickly.

'It's an old superstition, dear; no, everybody does not.'

'Why ought we to wear new things?' demanded Olive.

'Why, Olive, of course it's because it's the proper time,' answered
Roland. 'Easter is when people get their new bodies, and the flowers are
all new.'

Olive was quite satisfied with this explanation.

Miss Sibyl, who did not seem quite as bright as usual, looked at them
with wistful eyes. After breakfast was over she took Olive into the
garden with her. The child begged to be told the 'Easter story,' and
Miss Sibyl tried to oblige her, saying as she did so, 'But you know it
much better than I do.'

When she had finished her rather halting narrative, Olive looked up and
added,--

'So everybody dried their tears and were very happy, because they knew
Jesus would never die again.'

Then after a pause she asked, 'Why didn't Jesus always stay down in the
world, Aunt Sibyl? Why did He go back to heaven so soon?'

'I think He told us He had finished His work, my dear.'

'What work?