The secret garden

iooTHE SECRET GARDENwould be, and what thousands of roses would growon every side !Her skipping-rope had hung over her arm whenshe came in and after she had walked about fora while she thought she would skip round the wholegarden, stopping when she wanted to look atthings. There seemed to have been grass pathshere and there, and in one or two corners therewere alcoves of evergreen with stone seats or tallmoss-covered flower urns in them.As she came near the second of these alcoves shestopped skipping. There had once been a flowerbedin it, and she thought she saw something stickingout of the black earth some sharp little palegreen points. She remembered what Ben Weatherstaffhad said and she knelt down to look atthem."Yes, they are tiny growing things and theymight be crocuses or snowdrops or daffodils," shewhispered.She bent very close to them and sniffed the freshstent of the damp earth. She liked it very much." Perhaps there are some other ones comingup in other "places/' she said. I will go all overthe garden and look."She did not skip, but walked. She went slowlyand kept her eyes on the ground. She looked inthe old border beds and among the grass, and after