And the thought that he had been spying
at their little house tarnished her anticipations of homecoming.

They went to Town three days later. While the taxi was skirting Lord's
Cricket-ground, Gyp slipped her hand into Fiorsen's. She was brimful of
excitement. The trees were budding in the gardens that they passed; the
almond-blossom coming--yes, really coming! They were in the road now.
Five, seven, nine--thirteen! Two more! There it was, nineteen, in white
figures on the leaf-green railings, under the small green lilac buds;
yes, and their almond-blossom was out, too! She could just catch a
glimpse over those tall railings of the low white house with its green
outside shutters. She jumped out almost into the arms of Betty, who
stood smiling all over her broad, flushed face, while, from under each
arm peered forth the head of a black devil, with pricked ears and eyes as
bright as diamonds.

"Betty! What darlings!"

"Major Winton's present, my dear--ma'am!"

Giving the stout shoulders a hug, Gyp seized the black devils, and ran up
the path under the trellis, while the Scotch-terrier pups, squeezed
against her breast, made confused small noises and licked her nose and
ears. Through the square hall she ran into the drawing-room, which
opened out on to the lawn; and there, in the French window, stood spying
back at the spick-and-span room, where everything was, of course, placed
just wrong. The colouring, white, ebony, and satinwood, looked nicer
even than she had hoped. Out in the garden--her own garden--the
pear-trees were thickening, but not in blossom yet; a few daffodils were
in bloom along the walls, and a magnolia had one bud opened. And all the
time she kept squeezing the puppies to her, enjoying their young, warm,
fluffy savour, and letting them kiss her. She ran out of the
drawing-room, up the stairs. Her bedroom, the dressing-room, the spare
room, the bathroom--she dashed into them all. Oh, it was nice to be in
your own place, to be--Suddenly she felt herself lifted off the ground
from behind, and in that undignified position, her eyes flying, she
turned her face till he could reach her lips.

III

To wake, and hear the birds at early practise, and feel that winter is
over--is there any pleasanter moment?

That first morning in her new house, Gyp woke with the sparrow, or
whatever the bird which utters the first cheeps and twitters, soon
eclipsed by so much that is more important in