the box of nodding blossoms in the grass. "What made you bring me
pansies?"

"'Cause you ain't got any, and no garden looks quite finished without
some of those flowers in it. Don't you think so?"

"I _de-spise_ pansies!"

Peace eyed her in horrified amazement an instant, then swept the
rejected blossoms out of sight beneath the basket cover, saying tartly,
"You needn't be ugly about it! I can take them home again. I s'posed of
course you liked them. I didn't know the garden was empty of them 'cause
you _wouldn't_ have them. _I_ think they are the prettiest flower
growing, next to lilacs and roses."

"Those mocking little faces?"

"Those darling, giggly smiles!"

"What?"

"Didn't you ever see a giggling pansy?"

"No, I can't say I ever did." A faint trace of amusement stole around
the corners of the white lips.

"Well, here's one. Oh, I forgot! You _de-spise_ them!" She had half
lifted a gorgeous yellow blossom from the hidden box, but at second
thought dropped it back in the loose earth.

"Let me see it!" The Lilac Lady extended one blue-veined hand with the
imperious gesture which Peace had learned to know and obey. Silently she
thrust the moist plant into the outstretched fingers, and gravely
watched while the keen blue eyes studied the golden petals which, as
Peace had declared, seemed fairly teeming with sunshine and laughter.
"It does--look rather--cheerful," she conceded at length.

"That is just what I thought. I named it Hope."

"Hope! The name is appropriate."

"Yes, it is very 'propriate. Hope is always so sunshiny and smily--"

"Oh, you named it for your sister."

"Who did you think it was named for?"

"I didn't understand. Is it a habit of yours to name all your flowers?"

"N-o, not all. But we gener'ly name our pansies, Allee and me. See, this
beautiful white one with just a tiny speck of yellow in the middle I
called my Lilac Lady."

"Why?" A queer little choke came in her throat at these unexpected
words, and she turned her eyes away that Peace might not see the tears
which dimmed her sight.

"You looked so sweet and like a _nangel_ the first time I saw you, and
this pansy has a reg'lar angel face."

"Don't I look sweet and like an angel any more?"

"Some days--whenever you want to. But lots of times I guess you don't
care how you look," was the reply, as the busy fingers sorted out the
different colored blossoms from the box, all unconscious of the stinging
arrow she had jus