them, and there were bare fruit-trees growing in
the winter-browned grass -- but there was no
green door to be seen anywhere. Mary looked
for it, and yet when she had entered the upper end
of the garden she had noticed that the wall did
not seem to end with the orchard but to extend beyond
it as if it enclosed a place at the other side.
She could see the tops of trees above the wall, and
when she stood still she saw a bird with a bright
red breast sitting on the topmost branch of one of
them, and suddenly he burst into his winter song --
almost as if he had caught sight of her and was
calling to her.

She stopped and listened to him and somehow
his cheerful, friendly little whistle gave her a
pleased feeling -- even a disagreeable little girl
may be lonely, and the big closed house and big
bare moor and big bare gardens had made this
one feel as if there was no one left in the world
but herself. If she had been an affectionate child,
who had been used to being loved, she would have
broken her heart, but even though she was "Mistress
Mary Quite Contrary" she was desolate,
and the bright-breasted little bird brought a look
into her sour little face which was almost a smile.
She listened to him until he flew away. He was
not like an Indian bird and she liked him and wondered
if she should ever see him again. Perhaps

[[45]]

p044 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p045w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p046

v?