last autumn's leaves and on a tree a few yards ahead she saw a
brilliant object--tiny, long-tailed, extraordinarily swift. It was out
of sight before she had time to tell herself that this was a squirrel;
and again she had a consciousness of development. She had seen a
squirrel in its native haunts! This was wonderful, and she approached
the tree. The squirrel had vanished, but these woods, within sound of
a city, yet harbouring squirrels, seemed to have become one of her
possessions. She was enriched, she was a different person, and she,
whose familiar fauna had been stray cats and the black beetles in Mrs.
Banks' kitchen, was actually in touch with nature. She now felt equal
to meeting unattended cows, but the woods offered enough excitement
for to-day.

She found that her path did not immediately descend. It led her
levelly to an almost circular green space; then it became enclosed
again and soft to the feet with grass; and just ahead of her, blocking
her way, she saw two figures, those of a woman and a man. Their backs
were towards her, but there was no mistaking Aunt Rose's back. It was
straight without being stiff, her dress fell with a unique perfection
and the little hat and grey floating veil were hers alone.

For an instant Henrietta stood still, and the man, turning to look at
his companion, showed the profile of her stranger. At the same moment
he touched Aunt Rose's hand and before Henrietta swerved and sped back
whence she had come, she saw that hand removed gently, as though
reluctantly, and the head, mistily veiled, shaken slowly.

Her first desire was for flight and, safely on the road again, she
found her heart beating to suffocation; she was filled with an
indignation that almost brought her to tears; it was as though Aunt