"I'm going to try to paint this picture so that when any one studies it he will get its message and feel as I do to-day."
The child looked back into the man's eyes, and discerned a fellow child.
"Is it your birthday?" he asked gravely.
Phil laughed softly. "I shouldn't wonder," he answered. "What made you think so?"
"You look happy—and you said—" the boy didn't finish, and Phil nodded.
"Did you ever see a chrysalis, Ernest? Well, I think I've been expanding all winter. I feel sort of wingy this morning. This is a good sort of day for a chrysalis to burst, don't you think so? Perhaps this is my birthday and you guessed it before I did."
"Come, Ernest, we must go," said Violet, smiling. "We're a load on the butterfly's wings."
"Do you live here in the park, Miss Manning?"
"No. I spent last night with a friend here, and one of the maids fell ill, so Ernest and I thought we could walk about a bit and smell the lilacs."