of colour against the sombre green of the
old cedar, as they moved to and fro with dazzling, kaleidoscopic effect.
Darsie had never even imagined such a scene; it seemed to her more like
fairyland than the dull work-a-day world.

She looked on, absorbed in delighted admiration, while one after another
the coverings were torn from the dainty packages, and the brilliance of
the scene was enhanced by the glitter of silver, and glass, and dainty
patches of colour. It would take long, indeed, to write of the
treasures which Mrs Percival had amassed in that day in town; it seemed
to Darsie that nothing less than the contents of an entire shop window
could have supplied so bewildering a variety. Bags, purses, satchels,
brushes, manicure-cases, blotters, boxes, cigarette-cases, photograph
frames, fans, brooches, bracelets, buckles, studs, tie-pins, waistcoat
buttons--wherever the eye turned there seemed something fresh and
beautiful to admire.

After such an Aladdin's feast, would not her workman's bundle fall very
flat? With a sudden access of humility Darsie was about to turn tail
and put the poor man's dinner back in its hiding-place, when from across
the lawn she met Ralph's eyes fixed upon her with an expression of
patronising commiseration. He was pitying her, because she had come
back empty-handed when sharper eyes had reaped so rich a harvest! That
touch of superiority made short work of Darsie's hesitation. She would
show that she was in no need of pity, that so far from being overpowered
by failure, she remained jaunty and self-confident enough to turn her
own disappointment into a joke for the amusement of others! With head
thrown back she marched dramatically forward to the spot where Mrs
Percival stood, the gracious mistress of the ceremonies, and held the
bundle towards her in extended hands.

"Dear child, what have you there? A bundle--a workman's bundle! Where
in the world have you discovered that?"

"In the trunk of an old tree, in the orchard near the wall."

"In the orchard? It belongs most likely to one of the men. His dinner,
I should say, but what an odd place to hide it! So dirty!" She gave a
dainty little shake of distaste. "I should put it away, dear, really!
It is covered with dust."

"It's a very _lumpy_ dinner," said Darsie, patting the surface of the
bundle with curious fingers. "I thought perhaps it was a treasure done
up in a different way from the others. It's heavy, too, f