other than what in Drusilla's holiday frock she would appear to be
should escape into the village. It was quite a pleasant little
frock of a summery character, with short sleeves and loose about the
neck, and fitted Malvina, in every sense, much better than the most
elaborate confection would have done. The boots were not so
successful. Malvina solved the problem by leaving them behind her,
together with the stockings, whenever she went out. That she knew
this was wrong is proved by the fact that invariably she tried to
hide them. They would be found in the most unlikely places; hidden
behind books in the Professor's study, crammed into empty tea
canisters in Mrs. Muldoon's storeroom. Mrs. Muldoon was not to be
persuaded even to abstract them. The canister with its contents
would be placed in silence upon the Professor's table. Malvina on
returning would be confronted by a pair of stern, unsympathetic
boots. The corners of the fairy mouth would droop in lines
suggestive of penitence and contrition.

Had the Professor been firm she would have yielded. But from the
black accusing boots the Professor could not keep his eyes from
wandering to the guilty white feet, and at once in his heart
becoming "counsel for the defence." Must get a pair of sandals next
time he went to Oxford. Anyhow, something more dainty than those
grim, uncompromising boots.

Besides, it was not often that Malvina ventured beyond the orchard.
At least not during the day time--perhaps one ought to say not
during that part of the day time when the village was astir. For
Malvina appears to have been an early riser. Somewhere about the
middle of the night, as any Christian body would have timed it, Mrs.
Muldoon--waking and sleeping during this period in a state of high