nd the cattle and the pets and
all the other animyles, and Raphael and little Cromartie--Oh, my
goodness! there I go again, worse than ever."

"Who? Raph--Cro'?" began Sybil, passing her hand in perplexity to and
fro across her brow. "Who are they? Did I dream of them, or read of them
somewhere? Raph--Cro'. Oh, dear me, my head is so queer! Did I read or
dream?"

"No, my dear," exclaimed Miss Tabby, hastening to retrieve her error.
"You did not read, nor likewise dream of any sich. They's peacocks,
honey; nothing but peacocks, as was bought to ornament the lawn, you
know."

"Oh yes, I know! peacocks!" said Sybil with a smile, readily adopting
the explanation that had been made to her. "But I dreamt a strange dream
about those peacocks. I dreamt--Oh, I can't remember what I dreamt!" she
continued, contracting her brows with an expression of pain and
perplexity.

"Never mind, my darling, what it was. Dreams are profitless subjects to
employ the mind upon," said Beatrix Pendleton, taking Sybil's hand, and
lifting her up. "Now come with me. I have something pleasanter to talk
about," she added, as she drew Sybil down one of the shaded garden
walks.

There was one subject among others upon which Sybil was quite sane; her
own approaching maternity. Beatrix knew this, as she led her to a
distant garden seat, and made her sit down upon it, while she said:

"Now, darling, that Miss Tabby is here, had we not better commission her
to buy some flannels and lawns and laces for the wardrobe of the coming
child? She can bring them when she comes next time. And you and I can
amuse ourselves with making them up."

"Oh yes, yes, indeed! That will be delightful. How strange I never
thought of that before! Why, I do believe I would have let the little
stranger arrive without an article to put on it, if you hadn't reminded
me--and I a married woman, who ought to know better, and you only a
girl, who ought to know nothing! Well, I do declare!" exclaimed Sybil,
turning and staring at her companion.

"Never mind, darling; it is only because you have been ill, and I have
been well, that you have forgotten this necessary provision, while I
have remembered it," said Beatrix soothingly.

"Well, I won't forget it again!" exclaimed Sybil, starting up and
running towards her husband, and followed by Miss Pendleton.

"Lyon!" she said, breathlessly. "How much money have you got about you?"

"I don't know, dear. You can have it all, if you