ady came. I thought
perhaps he had told her of the visitors and she had come to see if they
had disturbed any of her sticks, for she brought no material. She was
afraid to go to the nest in my presence, but flew to a branch near by
and leaned down so far it was a wonder she didn't tip over as she stared
anxiously at the hole--a bad way to keep a secret, my little lady! I
thought. When her merry minstrel came, his song again gave her courage
and she flew inside, turning in the doorway, however, to look out at me.

But what with horses grazing under her windows and linnets making free
with her nest, the poor wren was unsettled in her mind. Possibly it
would be wiser to take out her sticks and build elsewhere. She went
about looking at vacant rooms and examined one opening in the side of
the trunk where I could see only her profile as she hung out of the
hole.

For some time the timid bird would not accept Mountain Billy and me as
part of her immediate landscape, and I watched the premises a number of
days, getting nothing but my labor for my pains, as far as wrens were
concerned.

One day when she did not come, I thought it was a good chance to get a
study of the hummingbird's nest; but alas!--the delicate little
structure hung torn and dangling from the twig, with nothing to tell
what had become of the poor little hummers. I moralized sadly upon the
mutability of human affairs as I took the tattered nest and tied it up
in a corner of my handkerchief; for it was all that was left of the
little home built with such exquisite care and brooded over so
tenderly.

The yellowbird's nest came to an untimely end, too, although its start
was such a bright one. It was a disappointment, for the goldfinches are
such trustful birds and so affectionate and tender in their family
relations that they always win one's warm interest. At first, when this
mother bird went to the nest, her mate stationed himself on the nest
tree, leaning over and looking down anxiously at Billy and me; but
before their home was broken up the watchful guardian fed his pretty
mate at her brooding when we were below.

We had a great many visitors while waiting for the wrens: neighbors came
to sit in our green shade, young housekeepers came looking for rooms to
rent, and old birds who were leading around their noisy families came to
dine with us. Once a pair of flickers started to light in the tree, but
they gave a glance over the shoulder at me and fled. L