“Six others! Have others been here to ask this same question?” asked Mr. Fabian, amazed.
The florist laughed. “Yes, that pretty miss seems to be very popular. Who is she, anyway?”
“A little girl that attends my art class, and I am bound to keep her mind free from nonsense until her education is finished.”
“Can you keep a secret—on your oath?” asked the florist.
“Yes, yes!” eagerly agreed Mr. Fabian, thinking he was now going to hear who sent the roses.
“Well, then, this much I may tell you—just to ease your fears: the individual who sent those roses is as anxious as you can be, to keep the girl’s heart and mind free from nonsense and to allow her to complete her art education without thoughts of beaux.”
“Is that all you’ve got to say?”
“My goodness, don’t you appreciate that much! You only wanted to know something to ease your mind, and now I have told you.”
“How do you know what the gentleman thinks or wants?”
“I was told so by the one who ordered the roses. But I did not tell you it was a gentleman.”