CHAPTER IV

THE OWNER OF THE BLUE DAFFODIL


Vrouw Snieder, the notary's wife, sat by her window at work on a long
strip of red crochet lace. From her place she could see all who came
up the street, and, there being a piece of looking-glass set outside,
at right angles to the pane, also most who came down it. This, though
doubtless very informing, did not help the progress of the lace; but
that was of no consequence, Mevrouw always had some red lace in
making, and it might as well be one piece as another. With her, were
her two daughters, Denah and Anna, though Anna had no business there,
being supposed just then to be preparing vegetables for dinner. She
had only come into the room to fetch keys, but a remark from her
mother brought her to the window.

"There goes Vrouw Van Heigen's English miss," the old lady said, and
both her daughters looked at once.

"She has been marketing, I see; she seems a good housewife."

"She walks in the road," Denah observed critically; "It is so
conspicuous, I could not do it; besides, one might be run over."

"The English always walk in the road," her sister answered; "they