the many birds which _might_ have built their nests
there because it was so safe. And then she told
him about the robin and Ben Weatherstaff, and
there was so much to tell about the robin and it
was so easy and safe to talk about it that she
ceased to feel afraid. The robin pleased him so
much that he smiled until he looked almost beautiful,
and at first Mary had thought that he was
even plainer than herself, with his big eyes and
heavy locks of hair.

"I did not know birds could be like that," he
said. "But if you stay in a room you never see
things. What a lot of things you know. I feel
as if you had been inside that garden."

She did not know what to say, so she did not
say anything. He evidently did not expect an answer
and the next moment he gave her a surprise.

"I am going to let you look at something,"
he said. "Do you see that rose-colored silk curtain
hanging on the wall over the mantel-piece?"

Mary had not noticed it before, but she looked
up and saw it. It was a curtain of soft silk hanging
over what seemed to be some picture.

"Yes," she answered.

"There is a cord hanging from it," said Colin.
"Go and pull it."

Mary got up, much mystified, and found the
cord. When she pulled it the silk curtain ran back

[[168]]

p167 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p168w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p169

v?