[Illustration: Cover art] [Frontispiece: MARGUERITE] DIMBIE AND I --AND AMELIA BY MABEL BARNES-GRUNDY _Author of_ "_Hazel of Heatherland._" NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS _Copyright_, 1906 By THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY _Copyright_, 1907 BY THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY Published, March, 1907 CONTENTS CHAPTER I WHICH INTRODUCES DIMBIE CHAPTER II NANTY DISCOURSES ON THE WRITING OF BOOKS CHAPTER III ON AMELIA, FLUES, AND DRAIN-BAMBOOS CHAPTER IV DIMBIE'S BIRTHDAY CHAPTER V A LETTER FROM MISS FAIRBROTHER CHAPTER VI SORROW OVERTAKES ME CHAPTER VII DR. RENTON BREAKS SOME NEWS TO ME CHAPTER VIII DIMBIE COMFORTS ME CHAPTER IX AMELIA EXPRESSES HER OPINION OF ME CHAPTER X I DISCOVER THAT DR. RENTON IS IN LOVE CHAPTER XI MY FIRST CALLER CHAPTER XII NANTY CHEERS ME UP CHAPTER XIII UNDER THE APPLE TREE CHAPTER XIV MOTHER AND PETER ARRIVE ON A VISIT CHAPTER XV AMELIA GIVES ME NOTICE CHAPTER XVI FOREBODINGS CHAPTER XVII MY WORST FEARS ARE REALISED CHAPTER XVIII DIMBIE ROLLS A GREAT LOAD FROM MY HEART CHAPTER XIX WE INHERIT A FORTUNE CHAPTER XX PROFESSOR LEIGHRAIL PAYS US A CALL CHAPTER XXI JANE FAIRBROTHER'S IMPENDING VISIT CHAPTER XXII A LITERARY LADY HONOURS ME WITH A VISIT CHAPTER XXIII I SURPRISE DR. RENTON'S SECRET CHAPTER XXIV MUSINGS ON AUTUMN AND THE ARRIVAL OF JANE CHAPTER XXV AN ENGAGEMENT, AND I TELL JANE MY STORY CHAPTER XXVI DIMBIE TAKES PETER AND AMELIA IN HAND CHAPTER XXVII A DISCUSSION ABOUT A WEDDING GOWN CHAPTER XXVIII PREPARATIONS FOR A WEDDING CHAPTER XXIX JANE'S WEDDING CHAPTER XXX THE DEATH OF A LITTLE BLACK CHICKEN AN AFTERWORD ILLUSTRATIONS Marguerite . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ Peter has spent his spare time building canoes Professor Leighrail This is how he began Marguerite, I don't want to frighten you Your will will always be mine, Marguerite Dimbie and I--and Amelia CHAPTER I WHICH INTRODUCES DIMBIE Outside, the world is bathed in sunshine, beautiful, warm, life-giving spring sunshine. Other worlds than mine may be shivering in a March wind, but my own little corner is simply basking. The chestnut in the frog-pond field at the bottom of the garden is holding forth eager arms, crowned with little sticky, swelling buds, to the white, warm light. The snowdrops and crocuses have raised their pretty faces for a caress, and a chaffinch perched in the apple tree is, in its customary persistent fashion, endeavouring to outsing a thrush who keeps informing his lady-love that she may be clever enough to lay four speckled eggs, but her voice, well--without wishing to be too personal--would bear about the same relation to his as the croak of those silly frogs in the field would bear to the note of his esteemed friend Mr. Nightingale, who was still wintering in the south.