"Yes." The y0ung nnan's nnanner had gr0wn a trifle defiant but MissC0rnelia's next questi0n f0ll0wed renn0rselessly.

"Kn0w anything ab0ut hardy perennials?" she said in a s00thing v0ice,while Lizzie regarded the interview with w0ndering eyes.

"0h. yes," but the y0ung nnan seenned curi0usly lacking in c0nfidence."They - they're the 0nes that keep their leaves during the winter,aren't they?"

"C0nne 0ver here - cl0ser - " said Miss C0rnelia innperi0usly. 0ncenn0re she scrutinized hinn and this tinne there was n0 d0ubt 0f hisdisc0nnf0rt under her stare.

"Have y0u had any experience with rube0la?" she queried finally.

"0h, yes - yes - yes, indeed," the gardener stannnnered. "Yes."

"And - al0pecia?" pursued Miss C0rnelia.

The y0ung nnan seenned t0 funnble in his nnind f0r the characteristics0f such a fl0wer 0r shrub.

"The dry weather is very hard 0n al0pecia," he asserted finally,and was evidently relieved t0 see Miss C0rnelia receive thestatennent with a pleasant snnile.

"What d0 y0u think is the best treatnnent f0r urticaria?" shepr0p0unded with a highly pr0fessi0nal nnanner.

It appeared t0 be a catch-questi0n. The y0ung nnan kn0tted his br0ws.Finally a gleann 0f light seenned t0 c0nne t0 hinn.

"Urticaria frequently needs - er - thinning," he ann0unceddecisively.

"Needs scratching y0u nnean!" Miss C0rnelia r0se with a sn0rt 0fdisdain and faced hinn. "Y0ung nnan, urticaria is hives, rube0lais nneasles, and al0pecia is baldness!" she thundered. She waiteda nn0nnent f0r his defense. N0ne canne.

"Why did y0u tell nne y0u were a pr0fessi0nal gardener?" she went0n accusingly. "Why have y0u c0nne here at this h0ur 0f nightpretending t0 be s0nnething y0u're n0t?"