And she dressed herself more quickly than she had ever done in her life, and, without thinking of asking leave, she darted downstairs and out of the front door. For a few minutes Roma watched her from the window, doubtful lest the little savage might not, in her eagerness to possess herself of some of these marvelous treasures, root up and trample down Pompous Pirate’s parterres. But, no. Roma was surprised and pleased to see the effect their beauty had upon the child, how she suddenly stood still and looked down on the budding daffodils, how tenderly she touched them with the tips of her lingers. Roma called to her: “Catherine!” She looked up, her face full of light. “Do you want to pull some of those flowers?” “Oh, no! no! no! I wouldn’t hurt the darling things for the whole world! Oh, do put on your clothes and come down and see the sweet things close by!” she exclaimed. But now another figure appeared upon the scene—Pompous Pirate, with a large watering-pot. Seeing the child on the edge of his parterre, he naturally enough feared damage to his treasures. “Wot yo’ doin’ yere, long o’ my f’owers, little missis?” he demanded, rather crossly. “Looking at them,” answered Owlet, with the light of joy fading from her face. “Well, min’, now, doane yo’ pull none o’ dem! Doane yo’ do it! I woane ’low no chillun to ’buse my f’owers. Year me good, doane yo’?” “If you think I would hurt the dear things you are not possessed of common sense,” said Owlet indignantly, as she turned and entered the house. Roma soon joined her in the oak parlor, where the breakfast table was set. Roma had not witnessed the scene between the child and the gardener, for she had turned away from the window at the moment the man had appeared with his watering-pot; and now she was too much occupied with thoughts of an impending interview with Will Harcourt to think of asking Owlet why she had left the flowers so soon. Owlet, on her part, was no telltale, and so Roma never knew how the child had been offended by the servant. Will Harcourt might be expected some time to-day. If there had been no delay in the mail, if her letter had reached him on time, and if he had acted promptly on it, and started on the journey to Goblin Hall, he might reach Goeberlin by the eleven o’clock train. When Ceres came in with the breakfast tray Roma said: “I wish you to send Pontius to me.” A few minutes later, while the lady and the child were seated at breakfast, the man came in. “I wish you to go with the carriage to meet the eleven o’clock train at Goeberlin. I expect a visitor,” she said. “An’ ef de wisitor doane come by dat train, mus’ I wait fo’ de fo’ train?” inquired the man. “No, you must come back; and in that case I will send Puck to meet the four,” said Roma, who knew one weakness of her factotum, and did not wish to expose him to temptation by allowing him to remain in reach of strong drink for five idle hours in the village.