ate
fresh green: a sense of hope, of expectation, of something delightful
which was being prepared for, seemed to be in the air.

Suddenly the coupe turned in between a pair of substantial stone
gate-posts, and drew up before a large square house, with piazzas on two
sides, and a small but very smooth lawn, whose closely cut grass looked
like green velvet. It was dappled with weeping-trees and evergreens, and
hedged with a high wall of shrubs which shut off the view of the street.
A continuous flower-bed ran all round the house close to its walls,
planted full of geraniums, heliotrope, nasturtiums, mignonette, and
pansies. Every window and balcony boasted its box of ferns or flowers;
and in spite of the squareness of the building, and the sombre
green-gray with which it was painted, the general effect was of
cheerfulness, and shade broken by color,--an effect which is always
pleasant.

Candace had forgotten herself in the excitement of new sights and
experiences; but her shyness came back with a rush as the carriage
stopped and the door was opened by a very smart French butler.

"Is Mrs. Gray at home?" she asked timidly, bending forward.

"Descendez, Mademoiselle, s'il vous plait. Madame est occupee pour le
moment; il y a du monde dans le salon." Then, seeing the perplexed look
in Candace's eyes, he explained in broken English: "Mees is to get out.
Madame is beesy with coompany for little while. Mees will please go
up-stair."

Candace got out; the carriage drove away, and she followed the butler
into the hall. He gave a low call at the foot of the stairs, which
brought down a ladies'-maid with a ruffed cap perched on the back of her
head.

"This way, if you please, Miss," she said, and led Candace up the
staircase, which was a wide one with three square turns and a broad
landing, lit with a range of windows and furnished with a low cushioned
seat; then came an upper hall, and she was shown into a pretty corner
room.

"If you'll please sit down and rest yourself, Miss," said the maid,
"Mrs. Gray'll be up as soon as some company she has is gone. Would you
like to have a cup of tea, Miss?"

"No, thank you," faltered Candace; and then the maid went away, shutting
the door behind her.

The room, which had no bed in it, and was, in fact, Mrs. Gray's
morning-room, was so full of curious things that Candace's first thought
was that it would take a week at least to see half that was in it. The
sage-green walls were