d not been really aroused, but the time
of awakening was near.

Having made a rough, and, in truth, a very distorted sketch of the
dragons, she gathered up her colours and portfolio, and prepared to
search farther afield for objects on which to expend her genius. She
followed Susy into the octagon hall, but, seeing the wide front doors
open, went out, and, crossing a by no means well-kept field, entered the
paddock, where the colts, Joe and Robin, had disported themselves before
their sale. The paddock was skirted by a copse of small fir-trees, and
Antonia sniffed the air as she walked towards it. Antonia was in a rusty
black dress, with very little material in the skirt, and an extremely
long train, which she never held up. She had just got to the edge of the
copse of young trees, and was preparing to make a sketch of their
straight trunks with the delicate sunlight shining across them, when a
strange noise attracted her attention. She dropped her colour box,
uttered one of her affected little shrieks, and then dropped on her
knees beside a child who was lying face downwards on the grass. The
child's dark hair completely covered her face, but the sobs which shook
her slender little frame were too violent to be inaudible. Whatever
ailed the child, she was prostrated by such a tempest of grief that
Antonia forgot high art in an honest wish to comfort human misery.

[Illustration: ANTONIA AND NELL IN THE PADDOCK (_p._ 209).]

"Who are you?" she asked. "Can I do anything for you? What can be the
matter with you? Have you lost your colour box?"

Antonia could understand grief at such a loss, hence her inquiry.

Nell turned a little when she was spoken to; dabbed her
pocket-handkerchief into each eye, and then looked up at Antonia.

"I wish you'd go away," she said. "I don't want you. I have come away
here to hide. I wish, I wish you'd go away!"

"I don't wish to trouble you in any way," replied Antonia, "but I can't
go away, for I've come here to sketch. Your sobs don't disturb me now
that I know there's nothing very serious the matter, so perhaps my
presence won't disturb you. I'll sit here and not take the least notice
of you. I must imprison that sunshine before it goes. You can sob away,
I won't listen."

But to be told that you can sob as long as you like has generally the
effect of stopping tears, and Nell, astonished at Antonia's appearance
and words, presently sat up on the grass, and, flinging back her heav