was a piano, two
little love birds in a cage, some old carved furniture, and numbers of
pretty foreign curiosities.

'I wish we had a room like this,' she said admiringly.

'Ah! but you see this is our own furniture, and that makes such a
difference,' said their Miss Robsart. 'We took two unfurnished rooms
and put our own furniture into them, so of course it looks homey. And
all those pretty pictures were painted by my sister. Before she met
with her accident she used to go down to the country and sketch. She
longs to do it now, but we cannot manage it. Now would you like to
help me get out some cakes and jam from that cupboard for tea?'

True was only too delighted to do something. Whilst Bobby chatted with
the elder sister she helped the younger to lay the tea.

And then Miss Robsart was wheeled in her chair to the table, and Bobby
and True began to enjoy the jam and cakes provided for them. They
talked a good deal about Mr. Egerton and Lady Isobel, and the eldest
Miss Robsart asked Bobby about his grandmother's house in the country.

'What a happy little boy you must have been,' she said, 'to have
enjoyed a country life! I used to live in the country when I was a
little girl, and I have never forgotten it.'

'Why don't you live in the country now?' asked True.

'Ah!' said Daisy, 'we mean to one day, when our ship comes in. If only
that time would come soon! And then, Kathleen, you would be able to
make some sketches again, and get a sale for them!'

Her sister laughed.

'People would say I could sketch in London if I chose, and perhaps if I
were not such a cripple I could.'

'I've seed a cripple do lovelly picshers on the path,' said Bobby
eagerly; 'he did them all in red and blue and yellow! How did you get
a cripple?'

Daisy looked at her sister anxiously, but she smiled at her.

'I was run over by an omnibus only four years ago, Bobby. It was a
frosty day, and I was crossing the road in a hurry and slipped under
the horses' feet. I don't think I could sit on the pavement and paint
pictures, so I must hope that some day I may be able to get to my
beloved hills and trees and water again. Those are what I paint best,
and I cannot get them in London.'

'Lady Is'bel can paint picshers of gates and angels and heaven,' said
Bobby.

And then he began to describe the golden gates, and Miss Robsart
listened with amused interest. After tea they had games of different
sorts, and then at seven