. The
other people in the 'bus had stared as she got in at the fresh
daintiness of her attire, conspicuous in the dingy vehicle. Now, as she
leant back with closed eyes, the tired lines came out in her face. Mrs.
Rooke, from the other side of the 'bus, glanced at her with pitying
wonder.

"Dear me!" she thought to herself. "It isn't the Nelly Drummond I knew.
What has she been doing to herself? She must have been racketting a
deal. She doesn't look in the least like a happy bride should. Poor
child! I wonder if she is marrying against her will?"

Arrived at Sherwood Square the lamb was brought down and displayed to
Bunny's delighted mother. Pat whistled for a hansom, and when the two
ladies were in he carried out the animal and placed it in front of them,
where it created some excitement in its passage through the street.

Behold Nelly, then, presently seated on the nursery floor, winding up
the lamb for Bunny and forgetting all about her beautiful lavender
muslin frock. The mother and nurse stood by as eager as Nelly herself.
Bunny, indeed, was the least interested of the party. To be sure in the
wonder-world of Bunny's mind baa-lambs that went of themselves and
bleated were no great wonder, even though it was a pleasing novelty to
find one in his nursery. He was more excited over the reappearance of
Nelly herself and stood by her with one fat affectionate arm about her
neck in a contented silence. In vain his mother asked him if he wasn't
pleased.

"He is always like that," she said at last. "We took him to the
Hippodrome and he only yawned, even when Seeth's lions came on. He
didn't take the smallest interest."

"Begging your pardon, ma'am, that he did," the nurse interposed. "He
were flinging 'imself on his precious 'ead twenty times a day for a week
after. 'Twas a wonder he had any 'ead left, the precious lamb. Them
there dratted clowns, I don't 'old with them nohow!"

The reconciliation between Bunny's mother and Bunny's friend and admirer
was complete by the time they went down to lunch. Nelly had begged for
Bunny's presence at the meal, and so the young monarch of all he
surveyed was seated opposite to her in his high chair, with a napkin
tucked under his chin, playing a fandango with a spoon and fork on the
little table in front of him. Bunny filled the lunch-hour, Bunny's
sayings and doings--there were not many of the former, but his mother
managed to extract gems of wit and wisdom from his taciturnity-