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when he climbed in and slapped Jinny's flank with the newly oiled rein

he was careful to sit in the s

truer, and he avoided the mud-puddles on the road up to the Stuffed

Aniood many puddles, for it had rained the

day before To-day the clouds had gathered up behind the hills into

white domes, but the sky was that faint April blue that dims easily

into warm mists There was the smell of earth, the fainter scent of

unopened buds, and froarden borders of the Stuffed Anient odor of box

Helena Richie, standing by a bed of crown-iloved hand, her s seeds, caught the exquisite breath of the box,

and sighed; then, listlessly, she turned to walk back towards the

house Before she reached it the gate clicked and Dr King came up the

path She saw hi a way of

escape, but it was too late

"Gardening?" he called to her

"Yes," she said, and her smile like reluctant sunshine did not betray

to the doctor that he was not welcome