Father's parishioners took us motoring in the autumn. I didn't know the
chestnut crop was threatened."

"Chestnuts weren't any more expensive this year. They must have imported
them from far-off states."

There were still pools of water in the wood path, left by the melting
snow, and the grass that they touched seemed a trifle greener than that
beside the narrow road. Once in a while a bit of vivid green betrayed a
plant that had found shelter under an overhanging stone. The leaves were
for the most part dry enough again to rustle under their feet.
Evergreens stood out sharply dark against the leafless trees.

"What are the trees that still have a few leaves left clinging to them?"
asked Della.

"Oaks. Do you know why the leaves stay on?"

"Is it a story?"

"Yes, a pleasant story. Once the Great Evil Spirit threatened to destroy
the whole world. The trees heard the threat and the oak tree begged him
not to do anything so wicked. He insisted but at last he agreed not to
do it until the last leaf had fallen in the autumn. All the trees meant
to hold On to their leaves so as to ward off the awful disaster, but one
after the other they let them go--all except the oak. The oak never yet
has let fall every one of its leaves and so the Evil Spirit never has
had a chance to put his threat into execution."

"That's a lesson in success, isn't it? Stick to whatever it is you want
to do and you're sure to succeed."

"Watch me make my garden succeed," cried Dorothy. "If 'sticking' will
make it a success I'm a stick!"

CHAPTER IV

GARDENING ON PAPER

When Saturday came and the United Service Club tramped over Dorothy's
new domain, including the domain that she hoped to have but was not yet
sure of, every member agreed that the prospect was one that gave
satisfaction to the Club as well as the possibility of pleasure and
comfort to Mrs. Smith and Dorothy. The knoll they hailed as the exact
spot where a house should go; the ridge behind it as precisely suited to
the needs of a garden.

As to the region of the meadow and the brook and the rocks and the trees
they all hoped most earnestly that Mrs. Smith would be able to buy it,
for they foresaw that it would provide much amusement for all of them
during the coming summer and many to follow.

Strangely enough Roger had never found the cave, and he looked on it
with yearning.

"Why in the world didn't I know of that three or four years ago!" he
exclaimed. "I sho