to get Miranda to stay. Shall I serve your tea in here, or will
you come into the kitchen when you're ready?"

"We'll come into the kitchen, Dab-Dab," said the Doctor. "Let
Cheapside out before you go, please."

Dab-Dab opened the bookcase-door and Cheapside strutted out
trying hard not to look guilty.

"Cheapside," said the Doctor sternly, "what did you say to
Miranda when she arrived?"

"I didn't say nothing, Doc, straight I didn't. That is, nothing
much. I was picking up crumbs off the gravel path when she comes
swanking into the garden, turning up her nose in all directions,
as though she owned the earth--just because she's got a lot of
colored plumage. A London sparrow's as good as her any day. I
don't hold by these gawdy bedizened foreigners nohow. Why don't
they stay in their own country?"

"But what did you say to her that got her so offended?"

"All I said was, 'You don't belong in an English garden; you
ought to be in a milliner's window. That's all."

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Cheapside. Don't you
realize that this bird has come thousands of miles to see me--
only to be insulted by your impertinent tongue as soon as she
reaches my garden? What do you mean by it?--If she had gone away
again before I got back to-night I would never have forgiven