thinking the thing out quite without prejudice.
"Nobody ever dared to do anything you didn't
like -- because you were going to die and things
like that. You were such a poor thing."

"But," announced Colin stubbornly, "I am
not going to be a poor thing. I won't let people
think I'm one. I stood on my feet this afternoon."

"It is always having your own way that has
made you so queer," Mary went on, thinking
aloud.

Colin turned his head, frowning.

"Am I queer?" he demanded.

"Yes," answered Mary, "very. But you
needn't be cross," she added impartially, "because
so am I queer -- and so is Ben Weatherstaff.
But I am not as queer as I was before I began to
like people and before I found the garden."

"I don't want to be queer," said Colin. "I
am not going to be," and he frowned again with
determination.

He was a very proud boy. He lay thinking
for a while and then Mary saw his beautiful smile
begin and gradually change his whole face.

"I shall stop being queer," he said, "if I go
every day to the garden. There is Magic in there
-- good Magic, you know, Mary. I am sure
there is."

[[294]]

p293 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p294w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p295

v?