Suddenly the morning breeze played caressingly about him. He pulled his bath robe closer to him and slammed the window down. His face felt stiff where the lather had dried upon it. "Darn the luck," growled Obadiah. He washed his face, restropped his razor, reprepared his lather, and finally completed his shave by nicking his neck on his Adam's apple. "Dang it all," he howled. The world was ill using Obadiah and he resented it. He dressed slowly and from his bedroom window moodily viewed his beautiful grounds. Into his view danced Virginia, swinging a wide brimmed hat by its streamers and singing gaily as she made for a bed of sweet peas. Obadiah watched her, but the harsh lines upon his face did not soften nor the irascible look fade. He gave a grim nod when the girl discovered him and shouted a merry greeting. There was no one in the dining room when the manufacturer entered it that morning. He seated himself and began to eat his melon. The rich voice of Serena with all of its carrying power came in at the window, "Yo' all bettah git in yere mighty fas'. You' Daddy done eat up all de breakfus'." Then sounded the answering words of the girl, ringing silvery and sweet, "Ask Daddy to wait. I have some beautiful flowers for him." Serena was suddenly beset with internal mutterings and grumblings and broke into incoherent utterances. "Ah ain' got no time--no time--flowers--tell him dat--No siree--Ah ain' no fool." A few moments later she entered the dining room worrying aloud. "Dat chil' gwine be fo'ced to eat a col' breakfus. Ah caint keep grub hot all day." "She must learn to be on time at her meals," Obadiah scolded. Serena gave him a look of stern disapprobation. "Dat gal miss 'er breakfus er gittin' flowers fo' yo' all." Light feet ran through the hall and Virginia skipped into the room, her face flushed, her hair tossed and a bunch of sweet peas in either hand. Unexpectedly, two soft arms were about Obadiah's neck. He found his face buried in a mass of blossoms while girlish laughter in peals of delight rang in his ears. Virginia shifted her position to examine in mock solemnity the sober face of her father blinking from the mass of delicate colors. She gave a shout of amusement. "Daddy, you don't match very well." She shifted the bouquets about his face. "There, that is much better," she decided. "Don't you think so, Serena?" Obadiah sneezed. "God bless you," Virginia whispered. "Take those things out of my nose," protested Obadiah. "You look so beautiful," the girl giggled. "Doesn't he, Serena?" The colored woman watched the proceedings with great gravity. "Leave you' Daddy 'lone, chil'," she urged. "De breakfus gwine be ruined." Obadiah released himself from his daughter's embrace and the blossoms dropped in a glowing mass upon the table. "Eat your breakfast and stop this foolishness," he told her.