Since then, he had come when she least expected him; sometimes when she had needed him very badly he had not appeared....

She never knew.

At any rate, he had said that to-day would be important....

She lay in bed, listening to her nurse's snores, and waited.
II At breakfast she knew that it was her birthday.

There were presents from her aunts--a picture-book and a box of pencils--there was also a mysterious parcel.