e an invitation from Mrs. Webster, who probably
had other plans.

"If she's _very_ good-natured she may possibly ask me for a week,"
ruminated Lesbia. "I only wish she would. I've never been in Wales."

Regina apparently knew how to wheedle her mother, for next day she
brought a note to school.

"Will you give this to Mrs. Patterson?" she said; "we want you to come
to Dolmadoc with us, for all the holidays."

_All_ of them? Lesbia was staggered with the magnificence of the
invitation. Certainly Regina never did things by halves. She presented
the letter with much anxiety. Evidently it solved a difficulty, for Mrs.
Patterson at once gave permission for the visit. It was such an utterly
unexpected pleasure that Lesbia could hardly believe it was really true
until she saw her box brought down from the attic to be packed.

The Websters wasted no time, and started for Wales directly the holidays
commenced. They were the fortunate owners of a country cottage at
Dolmadoc, a little village amongst the mountains. Mr. Webster had
bought it some years ago, after Regina and Derrick had caught scarlet
fever in seaside lodgings, and had registered a vow he would never again
expose young children to the risk of taking infection at crowded
pleasure resorts. Here they spent Easter and August vacations, and
sometimes even Christmas as well. It was a second home, and, though on a
far simpler scale than their house in Kingfield, it was in many ways
much dearer to them. The house was built high up on a hill-side, and had
a most magnificent view over miles of valley, with a river winding at
the bottom and great mountain peaks rising in the distance. There was a
terraced garden, and an enclosed patch of field called by courtesy a
tennis-lawn. At the back was a common with gorse bushes and bracken. On
fine days the family lived almost entirely out of doors. They took their
meals in a veranda, and when they were not out walking, they sat in
deck-chairs in the garden, reading or sewing. It was a delightfully free
and unconventional life, almost like camping or caravanning. The younger
children ran about without shoes and stockings, nobody wore hats, and
gloves were not necessary even on Sundays.

To Lesbia her new surroundings were an absolute Paradise. She had, of
course, brought her cherished painting materials, and she set to work
with wild enthusiasm to try her hand at sketching from nature. In so
beautiful a place subjects were not di