Kilmeny of the Orchard 
     
    
   
   
    
     Eric stood there was a square, treeless 
     
     place which had evidently once served 
     
     as a homestead garden. 01d paths were 
     
     still visible, bordered by stones and large 
     
     pebbles. There were two clumps of lilac 
     
     trees; one blossoming in royal purple, the 
     
     other in white. Between them was a bed 
     
     ablow with the starry spikes of June 
     
     lilies. Their penetrating, haunting fra- 
     
     grance distilled on the dewy air in every 
     
     soft puif of wind. Along the fence rose~ 
     
     bushes grew, but it was as yet too early 
     
     in the season for roses. 
     
    

    
     Beyond was the orchard proper, three 
     
     long rows of trees with green avenues be— 
     
     tween, each tree standing in a wonderful 
     
     blow of pink and white. 
     
    

    
     The charm of the place took sudden 
     
     possession of Eric as nothing had ever 
     
     done before. He was not given to roman- 
     
     tic fancies; but the orchard laid hold of 
     
     him subtly and drew him to itself, and he 
     
     was never to be quite his own man again. 
     
     He went into it over one of the broken 
     
    

    
     56