etters."
"I told you that I remembered," said Mr. Russell. "I don't know how. I
remember sitting on a high cliff and seeing three black birds swim in a
row, and dive in a row, and in a row come up again after I had counted
hundreds."
"Nonsense," said Mrs. Gustus, trying not to appear cross before the
visitor, "you're thinking of something else. You can see such a sight as
that at the Zoo any day."
"You all seem to know quite a lot about the place," said the admirer,
"yet not much of a very practical nature, if I may say so."
"Everything practical is unromantic," said Mrs. Gustus. "There is
nothing true or beautiful in the world but poetry. If we seek in real
simplicity of mind, we shall find what we seek, for simplicity is poetry,
and poetry is truth."
"Also, of course, England has only one west coast," added Kew, "and if we
don't find the place we shall have found a good many other things by the
time we have finished."
"It may be in Ireland," suggested the admirer.
"No, because she answers our letters so quickly."
"She?"
"My young cousin, the object of our search."
"Did she run away?" asked the admirer, in a voice strangled with
excitement.
To admit that a young relation of Anonyma's should run away from her
would be undignified.
"You mustn't take us too seriously," said Mrs. Gustus lightly. "It isn't
a case of an elopement, or anything like that. Just an excuse for a
tour, and a rest from wearisome war work. A wild-goose chase, nothing but
fun in it."
"Wild goose is a good description of Jay," said Cousin Gustus. It
was rather.
Next morning the admirer, twittering with excitement, came in upon the
Family while it was having its breakfast.
"Oh, I had such an idea in the night," she said. "I couldn't sleep, of
course, after such an exciting day. I believe I have been fated to help
you in your quest. I know of a house near here, and the more I think of
it the more sure I feel that it is the place you want."
"Who lives there?"
"A young man with his mother. I forget the name."
"Place we want's west," objected Mr. Russell.
"You never can tell," said Anonyma. "This place may stand on a salient,
facing west. Our search must be thorough."
"It's such a lovely walk," said the admirer. "I should be so much
honoured if you would let me show you the way. Oh, I say, do you think me
very presumptuous?"
Her self-consciousness took the form of a constant repentance. In the
night she wo
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