THE NORTICROFT LILIES.

 br primroses they did not go very far, the girls were
 delighted with all they saw. There were other trea-
 sures besides primroses; the ground was spangled
 with wood anemones and bluebells, and the tall spikes
 of the purple orchis were plentiful. It was very plea-
 sant, too, to hear the sound of the crackling leaves
 under their feet, and to listen to the soft cooing of the
 wood-pigeons in the distance.
 But when May came, and the lilies were in bloom,
Northcroft was in perfection, and one bright morning
Mr. Layton and the three girls set off for the woods in
high spirits. The lilies did not grow quite at the
entrance of the wood, but after they had gone about
half a mile a few scattered broad smooth leaves
appeared, and a little farther on they grew in abun-
dance. Mr. Layton sat down on the trunk of a tree
just felled, and watched the fair scene before him.
Broad grass-grown paths, bordered on either side
with pale brown-leaved oaks and delicate green
larches, while here and there a silver birch drooped
its graceful boughs over the narrow ditches which
separated the paths from the wood. Three roads met
where he sat: the one to the right leading down-
wards in the direction of the Rectory; that to the
left went only a little distance, and then again branched
off in different directions; but immediately before him
the green road descended less gradually, and then rose
again much steeper on a hillside crowned with larches,
till it nearly hid the wolds from view. Just where the
morning sun rested in golden glory on the trees near
the top of the opposite hill was a church tower, and
Mr. Layton was thinking how fair a scene it was, and
how peaceful after the turmoil of his London life,
when Gertrude burst upon him.
 Oh, papa, isn't that a lovely glade ? but oh, do