The secret garden

190 THE SECRET GARDENjust going to give upthe case because she was sosick of him, but she says she doesn't mind stayingnow you've gone on duty with her," laughing alittle.In her talks with Colin, Mary had tried to bevery cautious about the secret garden. Therewere certain things she wanted to find out fromhim, but she felt that she must find them out withoutasking him direct questions. In the first place,as she began to like to be with him, she wantedto discover whether he was the kind of boy youcould tell a secret to. He was not in the least likeDickon, but he was evidently so pleased with theidea of a garden no one knew anything about thatshe thought perhaps he could be trusted. Butshe had not known him long enough to be sure.The second thing she wanted to find out was this :If he could be trusted if he really couldwouldn't it be possible to take him to the gardenwithout having any one find it out? The granddoctor had said that he must have fresh air andColin had said that he would not mind fresh airin a secret garden. Perhaps if he had a greatdeal of fresh air and knew Dickon and the robinand saw things growing he might not think somuch about dying. Mary had seen herself in theglass sometimes lately when she had realized that.she looked quite a different creature from the child