Melbourne House, Volume 2

her father and Dr. Sandford; and Daisy was lifted in Mr. Randolph's arms and carefully placed on the front seat of the car

y still on the cushions with an exceedingly old-fashioned face; it was as demure and sedate as if the gravity of forty years had been over it. But presently the carriage turned the

aid Mr. Randolph, who

nice to see

ime of it at Mrs. Benoit

t. I did not have

u escape th

Sandford. There was

ven to see the road and the fences again. That little bit of view before Mrs. Benoit's window she had studied over and over till she knew it by heart. Now every step brought something new; and the roll of the carriage wheels was itself enlivening. There was a reaped grain field; there a meadow with cattle pasturing. Now they passed a fa

, Daisy?" her father ask

a. It is

carriage stopped at the door of Melbourne House. And there was her mother, and there were Preston and his mother and sister, and Gar

ed her into the house. All the others trooped around and after him, through the hall and into the drawing room, where the doctor laid his little charge on the sofa and put the pillows behind her so that she could sit

ased to see you here,

isy," sa

again, Daisy?" said Preston, standing a

sleeping princess, during these weeks of my absence-under the guardianship of an ol

ncantations," said Pres

ant to have it so; after the silence and quiet of Juanita's little cottage, the lights and dresses and people and silver urn and tea service and flowers made quite a picture. Flowers had been in the cottage too, but not such wealth of them. Just opposite to Daisy in the middle of the floor stood a great stone basket, or wide vase, on a pedestal; and this vase was a mass of beautiful flowers. Trailing wreaths of roses and fuchsias and geraniums even floated down from t

f the sofa, where he dipped sponge cake in tea with a wonderful persistency; in fact the question seemed to be whether he or the cake basket would give out first; but

ose incantations,

what you mean,

been so long in the witch's precinc

what you mean,

. I wonder, now, if the witch's h

a very ni

h herself a s

great deal bette

a perfectly sober face. "The

Mrs. Benoit used to bring p

morning before the dew was off the grass, or at night just as the f

she said after a moment's looking at hi

aisy felt her sofa shaking with his burden of amusement. What had she done? Glancing her eye towards Dr. Sandford, who sat near, she saw that a very

as he could get over his paroxysm of laughter. "What did you think I meant? I shouldn't

d to get her throat clear for talking; there had been a very uncomfortable thi

McFarlane, but you me

ay?" said Ga

es

rayers,

unwillin

een what you heard!" G

from him. Gary was as so

rayers where you cou

to hea

s and ev

es

her in broad

as. I heard her as soon

and I went away

ary returning to Daisy. "Could y

N

a mutt

t. The tears ca

Confess now, didn't a sort of feeling grow over you-creep over you-whenever you h

was

Witches pray that way-not good Christian people. I regard it as a very fortunate thing, Daisy

and liveliness of Gary's utterances, which he rattled for

against my own laws; but I wanted to know how far the old witch had got hold of you. Didn'

pell could come over him; but

ow into the belief that

is

saint, Mr.

oked his chin and moustache with the most

efore isn't allowed to live here. They all go off in flames of some sort-may look like glory, but

soberness, but the doct

ot. I don't know what it is like, myself; but it must be ve

too good for this wo

her; the children die, and the grown ones go missionaries or become nuns-they are a sort of human meteor-shine and disappear, but don't really

back to Juanita, who seemed now half a world's distance away instead of a few miles; her love and gentleness and truth and wisdom, her prayers and way of living, did seem to Daisy somewhat unearthly in their beauty, compared with that which surrounded her n

hed with pain and her eyes glistening. He came and took Gary's place, and silently felt of her hand and looked at her; but he did not ask Daisy w

aid she softly, "

ones which fall on th

o they c

s are d

you think th

what satisfied him would satisfy her. He would not give the skeptical answer which rose to his lips.

ring bodies, that we fall in with now

, what do the

seen shoot

those m

to the earth. Sometimes they are nea

ou seen

a grea

them after they f

es

e they l

outside, and made up of vari

them look like fire-ba

s are divided; and I really have no opini

she did not ask for them. Preston was still standin

will Daisy's foot let

o you propose

he river; and the rest

ain gr

tly!" sai

do you

ee m

this floor by next week; and in a little

Preston. "Why, at that

Lake

as not a flush of pain this time. He saw what a depth of meaning there was in it; what a charm, the sound of Silver Lake had for Dai

, Daisy?" sai

up a large party-I do

that you shall go too. You

led, but she said not a word

g to make her foot st

r, after having for days and days looked at only one; and the old wonted scene, the place and the lights, and the flowers and the dresses, yes, and the voices, gave her the new sense of being at home. Nevertheless, Daisy mused a little over some things that were not altogether pleasant. The faces that she scanned had none of them the placid nobleness of the face of her black nurse

?" whispered Preston. "Yo

" said

's to

I feel ver

look like other

y slowly, "I do not fe

haste about it, t

ittle old Daisy! Don

ight here, Daisy?" said Dr. S

said Dais

re t

n my room, si

ore I go; and it is time

please

"Mr. Randolph will do it, or one of the servants.

I like to see after my

fers othe

sy knew, that of all hands which had touched her, the doctor's and Juanita's were far the best; and of those two, the do

to take me," she said, whe

dy to shew me the way." And the doctor stooped and

clare, you have made, D

Preston, shew the way

r awkwardness, through the company, out into the hall, and up the stairs. There June met him, and took Preston's o

Daisy, until I see you ag

s,

d-ni

nk you, sir, for

you," said he, and with a wa

aisy, "how glad

putting the smiles and the tears together, Daisy felt sure that June was as glad to see her as she was to see June. In truth, Daisy was a sort of household deity to June, and she welcomed her back accordingly, in her secret heart; but her words on that subject, as on all others, were few. The business of undressing, however, went on with great tenderness. When it was fini