very pretty and peaceful just now.

"And how do you like the look of Waverley, Anna?" asked Mrs Forrest.

Anna could answer with great sincerity that she thought it was a lovely
place, and she said it so heartily that her aunt was evidently pleased.
She kissed her.

"I hope you will be happy whilst you are with us, my dear," she said,
"and that Waverley may always be full of pleasant recollections to you."

Anna was wakened next morning from a very sound sleep by a little
tapping noise at her window, which she heard for some time in a sort of
half-dream, without being quite roused by it; it was so persistent,
however, that at last she felt she must open her eyes to find out what
it was. Where was she? For the first few minutes she looked round the
room in puzzled surprise, and could not make out at all. It was so
quiet, and clear, and bright, with sunbeams dancing about on the walls,
so different altogether from the dingy, grey colour of a morning in
London. Soon, however, she remembered she was in the country at
Waverley; and her mother's picture on the toilet-table brought back to
her mind all that had passed yesterday--her journey, her drive with the
farmer, her grandfather in the lane.

There were two things she must certainly do to-day, she told herself, as
she watched the quivering shadows on the wall. First, she must ask her
aunt to let her go at once and see her grandfather; and then she must
tell her all about her arrival at the station yesterday, and how kindly
Farmer Oswald had come to her help. It was strange that, now she had
actually got to Waverley, and was only two miles away from her
grandfather, that she did not feel nearly so eager to talk to him as she
had while she was on her journey. However, she need not think about
that now. Here she was at Waverley, where it was all sunny and
delightful; she should not see smoky London, or have any more walks in
the Park with her governess, for a long while, perhaps never again. She
meant to enjoy herself, and be very happy, and nothing disagreeable or
tiresome could happen in this beautiful place.

There was the little tapping noise again! What could it be? Anna
jumped out of bed, went softly to the window, and drew up the blind.
Her bedroom was over the veranda, up which some cluster-roses had
climbed, flung themselves in masses on the roof, and reached out some of
their branches as far as the window-sill. One bold little bunch had
pressed it