ttle heroine's excitement began to give way to quite a hurt
feeling. It seemed as though no one could care, or they would never
sleep on like this. She actually began to feel aggrieved; but she sprang
out of bed to try to drive away the feeling by looking out to see what
the morning and the weather were like. She might, if she had liked,
have pulled back the curtains in a way that would have waked Esther at
once; but she drew them as gently as though her one anxiety was not to
disturb her sister, and opening the window, looked out.

Oh, how lovely it was! Poppy, child as she was, gasped at the sight
before her. Road and river, houses and moor, lay bathed in the clear glow
of the beautiful pure morning sunshine. Every leaf and twig sparkled with
dew; even the little window-panes in the cottages glittered and looked
beautiful. On the moor opposite great cloud-like masses of mist rolled
away quickly before the advancing sun, leaving the old brown moor behind
it, flashing from thousands of tiny leaves and blades. The river gleamed
and scintillated as it danced along, singing as it went.

"Everything seems to know what day it is," said Poppy gleefully.
"Oh, you dear river, you dear sun, you dear, dear moor and houses, _how_ I
love you all!"

She softly closed the window and turned away to get back to bed. As she
turned her eye fell on two little envelopes, one pink, the other
lilac-coloured.

"What _can_ they be?" she cried, as she read the inscriptions on them.

'Miss Esther.'

'Miss Popy.'

Taking up the one addressed to her, and carefully opening it, she took out
the pretty sheet with the spray of rosebuds scattered over the page.
Across the rosebuds, sprawled in big letters,--

"Anna rekuests the pleasure of Miss Popy's compny to tea in the
kitchun at five o'clock.

"Yours respectfly

"Anna."

The rustling of the paper had aroused Esther at last. First she opened
one eye, then the other, and would have shut both again, only they
happened to fall on the white parcel beside her.

"Why, it has come! The day has come! It is Poppy's birthday!" she
thought. She sprang up in a moment, wide awake. "Many happy returns of
the day," she cried. "Oh, Poppy, have you been out of bed long?
Come into my bed and get warm. Here is something for you. Why, what have
you got there?" Poppy was dancing about the room in a high state of glee,
waving a letter in her hand.

"Oh, thank you, darl