n. Their child, not a year
old, had died before his father. Septima had recovered from her grief
during the winter and had become normally cheerful before she was assigned
to me. I found her constitutionally merry, very good company, always
diligent, a surpassing cook, magical with the garden, especially with her
beloved flowers, a capable needle-woman, always neat, and very good-
looking. We got on famously together.

With her beehives only, Septima had trouble. She understood bees
perfectly, but was afraid of them, and with reason, for she was manifestly
obnoxious to bees and was far too often stung. Of course, bees, like all
other living creatures, were mild to me. I tended her hives, under her
supervision, for I knew nothing of bees; according to her directions I
captured several swarms for her. Also I, when the time came, removed combs
from such hives as she designated.

Spring was in its full glory and I felt the exhilaration of it. Each home-
coming was a delight. And I was much away, for the _Villicus_ had me
convoyed about the countryside to every estate which possessed an unbroken
colt or an intractable horse. I gentled successfully every one I
encountered.

After all the bad horses and raw colts for miles around had been tamed I
spent some days idling about my cottage and getting acquainted with it and
with Septima. But within not many days I grew restive. I told the
_Villicus_ I wanted something to do.

"Well," he said, "five steers have eluded one of my herd-gangs and no one
can find them. Question the men (he named them) so as to get the right
start, and try your luck."

I was off, trailing those five steers, for three days and two nights. By
sunset of the third day I had them back at the villa.

After that I was called on to hunt down and round up all stampeded cattle
and all strays, whether cattle, horses, goats, sheep or swine. I enjoyed
my lone outings and between them basked contentedly in the comfort of my
cottage and the amenity of Septima's cheeriness. During my stays at home I
thoroughly familiarized myself with the villa, its outbuildings and all
their inhabitants. Also I put a good deal of time on Selinus, whom I
transformed from an insane man-killer into one of the gentlest stallions I
ever heard of. I taught him all the niceties of obedience acclaimed in
perfect parade horses till he would stand, sidle, back, sidle diagonally,
curvet and execute all the show-steps promptly at the signall