Ah! Miss Elfie, are you acting queen of roses?" as Babie
returned together with Elvira, who with a rich dark red rose over one
ear, and a large bouquet at her bosom, justified the epithet at which
she bridled, and half curtsied in her graceful stately archness, as
she gave her hand in greeting, and exclaimed—-
"Ah, Johnny! are you come? When is Mother Carey going to send for
us?"
"When they leave Leukerbad I fancy," said John. "That's a tiresome
place for anyone who does not need to lead the life of a hippo-
potamus."
"It can't be more tiresome than this is," said Elvira, with a yawn.
"Lessons all day, and nobody to come near us."
"Isn't this a dreadful place?" said John, merrily, as he looked into
the rosary, a charming bowery circle of fragrance, inclosed by arches
of trellis-work on which roses were trained, their wreaths now
bearing a profusion of blossoms of every exquisite tint, from deep
crimson or golden-yellow, to purest white, while their more splendid
standard sisters bloomed out in fragrant and gorgeous magnificence
under their protection.
At the shady end there was a little grass plat round a tiny fountain,
whose feather of spray rose and plashed coolness. Near it were seats
where Miss Ogilvie and Janet were discovered with books and work.
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