"Know anything about hardy perennials?" she said in a soothing voice,
while Lizzie regarded the interview with wondering eyes.

"Oh. yes," but the young man seemed curiously lacking in confidence.
"They--they're the ones that keep their leaves during the winter,
aren't they?"

"Come over here--closer--" said Miss Cornelia imperiously. Once
more she scrutinized him and this time there was no doubt of his
discomfort under her stare.

"Have you had any experience with rubeola?" she queried finally.

"Oh, yes--yes--yes, indeed," the gardener stammered. "Yes."

"And--alopecia?" pursued Miss Cornelia.

The young man seemed to fumble in his mind for the characteristics
of such a flower or shrub.

"The dry weather is very hard on alopecia," he asserted finally,
and was evidently relieved to see Miss Cornelia receive the
statement with a pleasant smile.

"What do you think is the best treatment for urticaria?" she
propounded with a highly professional manner.

It appeared to be a catch-question. The young man knotted his brows.
Finally a gleam of light seemed to come to him.