speak to
her and tell her of all my hopes and desires. It was from this time that
I began to consider her as something ideal, as a different being from
the other people I met. It seemed surprising that she could live in our
life; in my boyish imagination I could picture her flying away with big
white wings to a more beautiful world.

I was ill for a very long time. At night, when I was almost
suffocating, I had to have some one to sit up with me; then Alexix and
Benny would take turns. At last I was convalescent, and then it was Lise
who replaced Etiennette and walked with me down by the river. Of course
during these walks she could not talk, but strange to say we had no need
of words. We seemed to understand each other so well without talking.
Then came the day when I was strong enough to work with the others in
the garden. I had been impatient to commence, for I wanted to do
something for my kind friends who had done so much for me.

As I was still weak, the task that was given to me was in proportion to
my strength. Every morning after the frost had passed, I had to lift the
glass frames and at night, before it got chilly, I had to close them
again. During the day I had to shade the wall flowers with straw
coverings to protect them from the sun. This was not difficult to do,
but it took all my time, for I had several hundred glasses to move twice
daily.

Days and months passed. I was very happy. Sometimes I thought that I was
too happy, it could not last. M. Acquin was considered one of the
cleverest florists round about Paris. After the wall flower season was
over other flowers replaced them.

For many weeks we had been working very hard, as the season promised to
be an especially good one. We had not even taken a rest on Sunday, but
as all the flowers were now perfect and ready for the approaching
season, it was decided that, for a reward, we were all to go and have
dinner on Sunday, August 5th, with one of M. Acquin's friends, who was
also a florist. Capi was to be one of the party. We were to work until
four o'clock, and when all was finished we were to lock the gates and go
to Arcueil. Supper was for six o'clock. After supper we were to come
home at once, so as not to be late in getting to bed, as Monday morning
we had to be up bright and early, ready for work. A few minutes before
four we were all ready.

"Come on, all of you," cried M. Acquin gayly. "I'm going to lock the
gates."

"Come, Capi."

Tak