"I don't know what you call respect!" she retorted. But she knew the next day. She found out what he called respect. The knowledge came, as so much that was worth while came, through Evangeline, Elly Precious in its wake. They came running this time. Elly Precious' small body rolled and lurched with their hurry and the agitation of Evangeline's soul. "Somethin's--happened." "Give me the baby. Sit down, dear. Now." "The flower wagon brought Stefana--roses," whispered Evangeline. "In a long box--an' tissue paper. Oh, my mercy gracious, stopped right straight at our house! An' nobody dead." Evangeline's whisper rose to a weird little cry. The wonder of the flower wagon stopping right straight! And every one alive! "Stefana's countin' 'em. I guess she's counted 'em a hundred times. They's--thirteen! They've got the longest stems you ever _saw_! Stefana can't get over their stems; she said they most made her cry." For very breath Evangeline stopped. Over the little uneasy head of Elly Precious shone Miss Theodosia's eyes. Miss Theodosia was softly thrilled. The stems appealed, too, to her; she loved them long--long. "Roses, you say? Oh, Evangeline! Birthday roses for Stefana! What color?" "Red--red--red," chanted Evangeline "Thirteen red roses an' thirteen long stems. In a pasteboard box with 'Miss Stefana Flagg' wrote on it. You ought to seen how Miss Stefana Flagg looked! She--she kissed the box. I guess now she's kissin' the roses. She never 'spected to have any roses till she was dead. An' then she couldn't 've kissed 'em an' cried at the stems," added Evangeline softly. She was suddenly a softened little Evangeline, curiously gentled by Stefana's sweet, red roses. Miss Theodosia caught her breath at the sight of the child's face and the thought of Stefana kissing her roses. "I wish--I wish you'd go over an' congratcherlate Stefana," whispered Evangeline. "She'd be so tickled. I'll keep Elly Precious ever here, an' Carruthers is playin' ball in a field." As though this ceremony of 'congratcherlation' demanded quiet and privacy. And by and by Miss Theodosia went. She had a whimsical impulse to carry her little silver card case, but she did not yield to the whimsey. She did take off her little white apron and smoothe her hair. Stefana to-day was a person for ceremonies and respect. Oh, the kindness, the clearness of those long-stemmed roses! She had not thought to do it herself, but he--a man creature--Miss Theodosia's eyes were tender. Stefana was still sitting among her roses. They lay across her lap. "Oh! Oh, come right in, Miss Theodosia!" she cried welcomingly. "But please to excuse me for not getting up--I can't bear to disturb them. Seems as if I could sit right straight in this chair till they withered! I'm breathing easy so not to breathe the smell out. I never had any roses before." Her voice lowered to almost a whisper. She whispered a little laugh.