itself behind the house,
near the big hole where the sunflowers grew."

Granny Marrable's memory spanned the chasm--seventy years or so! "The
biggest mulberry," she said, "was Old Jasper, in the front garden, near
the wall.... It was always called Old Jasper." This replied to a look of
Gwen's. Why _should_ a mulberry-tree be called Old Jasper? Well--why
should anything be called anything?

"I can smell the honeysuckle," said old Mrs. Picture. And her face
looked quite serene and happy. "But the pigeons used to get all the
mulberries on that tree, because they were close by."

"It stood by itself," said Granny Marrable. "And all the fruit-trees
were in the orchard. So old Gosset with the wooden leg was always on
that side with his clapper, never out in front."

"Old Gosset--who lost his leg at the battle of Culloden! I remember him
so well. He said he could feel his toes all the same as if they was ten.
He said it broke his heart to see the many cherries the birds got, for
all the noise he made. He said they got bold, when they found he had a
wooden leg...." She paused, hesitating, and then asked for Ruth.

Gwen told her how Ruth had gone to her own daughter, who was married,
and how a second grandchild was overdue. In telling this, she feared she
might not be understood. So she was pleased to hear old Mrs. Picture say
quite clearly:--"Oh, but I know. A long while ago--my child--my
Ruth--when she was Widow Thrale ... told me all that...."

"Yes, yes!" Gwen struck in. "_I_ know. When you were here at the
cottage, before ..." she hesitated.

"Yes, before," said old Mrs. Picture. "When she showed me our old
model, and did not know. That was the time she thought me mad. Phoebe--I
want you ... I want you...." Her voice was getting weaker; as it would
do, after much talking.

"What?--I wonder!" said Granny Marrable, and waited.

Gwen guessed. "You want to see the old model again? Is that it?" Yes,
she did. That was a good guess.

"Maisie dearest, I will fetch you the model to the bedside, and light
candles, so you shall see it. Only you will eat something first--to
please me--to please my lady--will you not? Then you may be able to sit
up, you know, and look at it." Granny Marrable jumped at the opportunity
to get some food--ever so little--down her sister's throat. _She_ had
not given up hope of her reviving, if only for a while. Bear in mind
that she was still in the dark about the doctor's real opinion.

The a