A London Picnic 139

more, and another five brought them to
the most wonderful shop in London, its
window lovelier with many-coloured sweets
than any garden with flowers in the spring.
The cabman waited in the rain while they
entered. ‘You must do the ordering,”
said the Visitor. ‘‘ My part is to pay.”

Doris brought sugared violets and rose-
leaves, and beautiful biscuits and cakes.
“T think that is enough,” she said presently,
and they drove to a place where straw-
berries were to be had. At last they
reached the lofty building that was the
Visitor’s abode, and mounted to the fifth
floor chambers whose windows looked
upon a desolate world of cloud and windy
chimneys. The Visitor sought his house-
keeper. When he returned Doris pointed
to the pictures that were so numerous as
almost to conceal his wall-paper.

‘What are these ?” she asked.

“They are pictures of Japan,” he an-
swered, speaking with a shade of reserve
in his voice, for his Japanese colour-prints