CHAPTER VI.

"Long lines of cliff breaking have left a chasm;
And in the chasm are foam and yellow sands."

-TENNYSON.

HILLIS woke early on her birthday morning, and, jumping out of bed, went to the window and looked It was a splendid morning, not a cloud to be

out.

seen in the sky, and though Phillis thought sorrowfully for a moment of her last birthday, when both father and mother had tried to make the day a happy one for her, her sad thoughts were soon driven away by the peaceful brightness of that early summer's morning, and by the merry sounds which reached her ear from below, where the haymakers were at work in a field just under her window.

"I will dress myself to-day," she said, triumphantly, "and go down to breakfast. I don't mean to stay in bed for breakfast any more; it is a shame, on such beautiful days as this. Mr. Trevor may scold me if he likes, but it is my birthday, and mother always let me do what I liked that day."

And she dressed herself softly and went downstairs, wishing to take them by surprise at breakfast time.

Mary was happily out of the way, at the back of the

house, so Phillis ran out and through the garden into the hayfield, where she sat down in a shady corner on a heap of hay, and watched the people at their work with great interest.

"I should like a good game in the hay, now," she said to herself; "I wonder if people ought to like such things when they are seventeen years old? But I certainly should, whether it is proper or not, only there is no one to play with. If I knew those people, I would get a rake and work too; but they are all strangers, so I won't go near them."

And Phillis watched rather longingly, while the hay was turned over and over, and raked up into long rows.

"I used to like jumping over those rows once," she said to herself. "What fun it used to be! I dare say I should enjoy doing it now, if there were no people to see. Oh, now they have filled one waggon and are taking it away; I should like being on the top of that too. dreadful thing to wish! What a pity it is old!"

That is another

one must grow

And having watched the waggon depart with its load, Phillis looked at her watch (the one which had been her mother's), and seeing that it was breakfast-time, returned to the house.

"Why, Phillis," said Mrs. Overton, meeting her in the doorway, "up and dressed already! I was just going to take up your breakfast. Very many happy returns of the day, my dear child. What made you get up so early? And how do you feel this morning?"

"Very well, thank you," said Phillis; "it was such a beautiful morning, Mrs. Overton, I could not lie in bed. I mean to come down every day now to breakfast; mayn't I?"

“Well, I should think you might," answered Mrs. Overton; "you are getting on so well now, and we shall be glad to have you downstairs, dear child. Where have you been?"

"In the hayfield," said Phillis; "it is so pleasant there. I like watching the hay-makers. May I take a book and sit there after breakfast?"

"Why yes, certainly," said the old lady. "Phillis, are you fond of music?”

"Yes," said Phillis eagerly, "very fond." Oh, Mrs. Overton!"-for in the sitting-room, just behind Phillis's chair, stood a beautiful rosewood piano, quite new, and on a card which stood outside she read the words " For Miss Phillis Lascar."

Her colour came and went with odd suddenness; then she put her arms round Mrs. Overton's neck and hid her face on her shoulder.

"It is too kind of you!" she said; "it is just the thing I was wishing for the other day-to be able to play some music. How could you guess what I wanted?"

"Why, young ladies generally have their pianos," said Mrs. Overton, "and we thought it seemed a pity you should forget your music, so Mr. Overton got this for you the other day, and had it sent up last night after you were in bed. Try it, dearie; I hope it is a good one."

Phillis opened it with fingers that were trembling with excitement, and touched the keys gently at first, as if hardly knowing what to make of her new possession; but soon she forgot everything in the delight of being able to play again, and would have gone on for hours, disregarding breakfast, had not Mr. Overton's entrance made her jump up, and thank him warmly for his kind present.

"It is a beauty," she said, shutting it down again reluctantly; "you could not have found a nicer one, Mr. Overton; I shall be so happy now!"

"It has put some colour into your cheeks, at any rate," said the old gentleman. "Who taught you music, Phillis? It seems to me your fingers know what they are after."

"Mother taught me," said Phillis; "but I must practise

a good deal yet. Mother used to play beautifully, and sing too; I want to try and learn to play as well as she did if I can."

"You are not far off," said Mr. Overton, smiling; "at least I should think so. But you can't live on pianos, you Come and eat some of these strawberries-real

know.

birthday strawberries, are they not?"

And strawberries were about all Phillis's breakfast that morning; the piano had quite taken away her appetite. As soon as they rose from the table she ran upstairs for her music, in which she revelled for nearly two hours, while Mr. Overton went on his morning rounds and his wife was busy with household matters. Then she remembered the hayfield, and taking a book, established herself in a comfortable nest under a big oak tree, whose thick foliage the hot noonday sun could not penetrate. She had been there some time-not reading much, however-when she heard Mary's voice.

"Miss Phillis, will you please to come in? The doctor wants to see you."

Phillis liked the doctor's visits, and obeyed Mary's call very readily. However reserved he might be with other people, he always showed the bright side of his character to her, and though his face might be grave, his manner was always cheerful, and the gentle care he seemed to take of her was pleasant. Besides this, Phillis's pity for his disappointment made her regard him somewhat in the light of a hero. She entered the sitting-room with a very bright face, and the doctor came forward, saying:-

"You are going to send me away very soon I see, Miss Lascar; you won't want any more of my visits."

"I am quite well," answered Phillis, rather soberly; she was thinking that she should miss the doctor when he gave up coming to see her.

"Are you ?" he said. "Well, very nearly, I think. Am

I not to wish you many happy returns of your birthday, Miss Lascar ?"

"Thank you," said Phillis. "Yes, it is my birthday, and is it not a beautiful one, Mr. Trevor?"

"Yes," he said, "I hope you are going to enjoy it. You have been out I see?"

"Yes," answered Phillis, "I have been in the hayfield, reading at least not reading much," she added, correcting herself, "but thinking."

"Thinking?" he said. "About pleasant things, I should

say.

You should not think too much yet, though, nor read too much either-it is not good for your head."

"My head never aches now," said Phillis; "it is quite well again, and I can't help thinking, Mr. Trevor. But they were all pleasant thoughts this morning."

"Who gave you leave to get up so early to-day?" he asked suddenly.

"Myself," answered Phillis, looking up at him, and laughing; no one had told me not, and I wanted to go I need not have breakfast in bed any more, need I, Mr. Trevor?"

out.

"I think not," he answered. "Miss Lascar, do you feel disposed to pay some one a visit this afternoon or evening? Miss Sandon is very anxious to see you."

"Is she?" said Phillis. "I will go, Mr. Trevor, if Mrs. Overton will take me. Will you, Mrs. Overton?"

"Certainly I will," answered the old lady; "we will go this evening, when a walk will be pleasant. Mr. Overton wants to take you for a drive this afternoon, Phillis.”

"A drive?" said Phillis. "I should like that. Mr. Trevor, do you see my birthday present?"—and she opened her piano, watching his face eagerly, anxious that he should appreciate her treasure.

"I thought that was something I had not seen before," said the doctor; "you like music, then, Miss Lascar?"