dren must not ask where the fairy gifts come
from. There, I will not disturb you, papa."

She touched his shoulder caressingly as she passed.

"But thank you again, papa Santa Claus."

At breakfast, Ferdinand Lind seemed to have entirely recovered his
good-humor.

"I had forgotten for the moment it was your birthday, Natalie," said he.
"You are quite a grown woman now."

Nothing, however, was said about the flowers, though the beautiful
basket stood on a side-table, filling the room with its perfume. After
breakfast, Mr. Lind left for his office, his daughter setting about her
domestic duties.

At twelve o'clock she was ready to go out for her accustomed morning
walk. The pretty little Anneli, her companion on these excursions, was
also ready; and together they set forth. They chatted frankly together
in German--the ordinary relations between mistress and servant never
having been properly established in this case. For one thing, they had
been left to depend on each other's society during many a long evening
in foreign towns, when Mr. Lind was away on his own business. For
another, Natalie Lind had, somehow or other, and quite unaided, arrived
at the daring conclusion that servants were human beings; and she had
been taught to regard human beings as her brothers and sisters, some
more fortunate than others, no doubt, but the least fortunate having the
greatest claim on her.

"Fraulein," said the little Saxon maid, "it was I myself who took in the
beautiful flowers that came for you this morning."

"Yes?"

"Yes, indeed; and I thought it was very strange for a lady to be out so
early in the morning."

"A lady!" said Natalie Lind, with a quick surprise. "Not dressed all in
black?"

"Yes, indeed, she was dressed all in black."

The girl was silent for a second or two. Then she said, with a smile,

"It is not right for my father to send me a black messenger on my
birthday--it is not a good omen. And it was the same last year when we
were in Paris; the _concierge_ told me. Birthday gifts should come with
a white fairy, you know, Anneli--all silver and bells."

"Fraulein," said the little German girl, gravely, "I do not think the
lady who came this morning would bring you any ill fortune, for she
spoke with such gentleness when she asked about you."

"When she asked about me? What was she like, then, this black
messenger?"

"How could I see, Fraulein?--her veil was so thick. But her hair was
gray; I could