Melbourne House, Volume 2

he abstract it was right to do it; but ought she in these circumstances? And how much of a Christian's ordinary duty might she be required to forego? and

ommand to do such a thing no more, the order would stand; there would be no dealing with it afterwards except in the way of submission. That command she had not in this case yet received, and she judged it prudent not to risk re

d. "Dr. Sandford was enquiring for you. I think you received qu

anybody else, yesterd

ankle is a very good t

Rand

of anybody yesterday. A palanquin with gentlemen for her po

aid Ransom. "I think Dr. Sandford

you?" said

en there was

y, "there was no one el

on an

el aggrieved?"

," replied the boy.

m's business," sa

t the doctor's busin

gh he made it

not take care of anybody yesterday, that I saw, except Daisy. I thought he admired Fred

"I suppose that was the reason," he said, "that she called me wor

at, Daisy?" as

w. Her nice had flushed wi

Ransom. "You s

ansom yo

say, Daisy?" a

said something-I did not mea

what you did say-

be present at the investigation of this subject, Felicia-

er inward consciousness she knew that Mrs. Randolph was likely to be displeased with her, in any event. She would certainly, if Daisy were an occasion of bringing Ransom into disgrace; though the child doubted privately whether her word would have weight enough with her mother for that. Ransom also had time to think, and his brow grew gloomy. An investigation is never what a guilty party desires; and judging her by himself, Ransom had reason to dread the chance of retaliation which such a proceeding would give his little sister. So Daisy and Ransom wore thoughtful faces during

his sister, he said, sent by him to beg that Daisy might come to spend the day with Nora Dinwiddie, who much desired her presence. In the event of a favourable answer, the doctor said he woul

in her eyes; though with her characteristic steady self-control she neither moved nor spoke, and suf

unt of Daisy's supposed d

rs. Randolph a

ked, gravely and kindly drawing her up to

ill mamma be satisfied to p

it go

s punishment, I mean, and not ma

nd to know the whole.

ed unwillingness, her father saw. He saw too that it

ng without the certainty of taking Daisy back with you, I have

said the doctor,

hat is it?" Mrs. Randolph stood by the table and looked coldly do

Ransom coul

is th

olph rang

; he has gone off wi

subterfuge, Dais

timid also; though her meek look at her mo

ust come upon you," her father said. "Your business is

t her to the point of knowing what to

her father sai

and Theresa Stanfield-they h

t th

taken out of the hampers and were spr

the fishes would

; Ransom's dog; he

Wel

not keep Ransom-" Daisy said

t Ransom take a sandwich, or a peach, if he wanted one? or anythin

ase in her mind, but something stayed her lips. Mr. Randolph saw and read the loo

r me? and spare neither for Ransom nor yourself. T

ok the meringues-and so many that the dish was left very small; and then he carried off Joanna's lark pie, the whole of it; and h

m offended

not like my speak

y girls; and Daisy must expect her brother will not like it if she me

y exactly t

ut it dif

looked at her mother appealingly, but sai

swer you at th

Daisy said i

ow

aid Daisy

d he say

say much-"

hat his an

it in her father's breast; like an injured thing running to shelter. Mr. Randolph was lying on

will do such things-she must learn that it is not her place or business to find fau

s in my house," said Mr. Rand

a very dissatisfied way; "but I

y's pleasure. Seeing Daisy has had her lesson, do you n

" returned the

ant to go

." Daisy spoke witho

Mrs. Sandford's?" i

He is gone a great way off. I do not suppose he is

dolph mo

a lesson, too. I shall take away the remaining week of his vacation. To-morro

y's freak, M

ust learn that such behavi

ng the behaviour of Daisy as he now understood it; her willing silence and enforced speech, and the gentleness manifested towards her brother, with the meek obedience rendered to her mother and himself. Perhaps his thoughts went deeper still. While Daisy reflected with sorrow on the state of mind sure to be produced now both in Ransom and Mrs

wheeling round a

l, D

eel like

ph. "Set open that sash door a little

till another

N

and she stood as before with o

last night you said I

er. Go on

ttle in doubt how to go on-"

little difficulty in

ought ot

ke me to do what I think is righ

st judge, Daisy. What

you said I might

us understand one

thanks a minute at meal times." Daisy spoke ver

me people perform. It is not binding on you, certainl

elf, and went on slowly-"you would not like it if you

not paral

d already ventured pretty far; she did not dare count too much upon he

e everything we have fr

, pa

be covering our faces all the time-if th

she was afraid to utte

the same uns

u see,

, p

andolph smiling. "Diffi

tate them

shew you in the Bible

? What

were right-you promised that if you thought t

displeasure at his own word, and annoyance at the trouble it might bring

nd by, papa,-may I sh

bl

t till I get up-s

ft that big

le and busily turned over the large leaves, her little face very wise and intent, her little hands small to manage the big book before her. Had such a child and such a book anything t

thing giv

see it

es

ther place-I know

s, stopped again, and Mr.

ngs unto God and the Father in th

again. Daisy came beside him. A wistful earnestness in t

You fancy that these words are to be taken literally-whereas they mean sim

a thankful spirit the same

tter thing, Dais

t a thankful spirit

o objecti

nto Daisy's eyes

ap

o the end of this d

you had told me to do a thing so, you w

his breast. "Look here, Daisy," said he-"tell me. Do you really t

y, papa-I li

thanks for

for everything that

's invitation to-d

a," said Da

wn within reach of his lips a

e Daisy would no

know what is ri

mamma and me, and l

e Bible

an old woman a good w

ng her little head in his neck and clasping her ar

hat do you think is

aisy. It is too hot to-d

any more in words; her look spoke her anxious, disappointed questioning of her father's meaning.

t you to be a

that is not

ot have i

"what shall I do to help it? I do not

th Nora Dinwiddie.

xcept my hat

you by and by. But Daisy, why should you and I

, pa

at lives up to your views on

es,

ho

d, "Juanita does

Daisy, and very likely

ce oft

superstit

n which has no fou

uperstition to do just

Randolph languidly. "Go and get ready for

. Mr. Randolph had a book in hand when she returned to the library: she could not speak to hi

nd Daisy in a good deal of glee enjoyed everything. It was private glee-in her own mind; she did not offer any conversation; and the doctor, of Mr. Randolph's mind, perhaps, that it was a warm day, threw himself back in his seat and watched her lazily. Daisy on the contrary sat up and looked busily out. They drove in the first place for a good distance through her own h

and more frequently a yet poorer sort of house stood close by the roadside. The road in this place was sometimes rough, and the doctor's good horse left his trot and picked his way slowly along, giving Daisy by this means an opportunity to inspect everything more closely. There was often little pleasure in the insp

hat is that? Somet

oolly, "nothing is the

hands and knees on the g

about in any other w

said Daisy, looking d

s accustomed, to it, Daisy; she never had the

she

does not know her age hersel

ce people to ta

the earnest little fa

ke care of he

lives the

how does she do-ho

r you and me to understand, I suppose-l

, "they were made to get along as t

g, for a little time; t

ry miserable,

nference is fair that she is miserable. In

however she let the subject drop as to any more words about it. She wa

. Sandford, to whom he made the remark. Daisy and Nora wer

d," said he, "she will have the soul of

eve it," said

anches of the old walnut, for a large family of grey squirrels had established themselves there. Old and young, large and small; it was impossible to tell, by counting, how many there might be in the family; at least now while they were going in and out and running all over; but Nora said Mrs. Sandford had counted fifteen of them at one time. That was in cold weather, when they had gathered on the piazza to get the nuts she threw to them. This kind of intercourse with society had made the squirrels comparatively tame, so that they had no parti

use squirrels a

re not of any u

everything

said Nora. "Grass

hat would the co

stones are no

o build houses-

be built of wo

ra, wooden houses would not

e could bui

ed where there was not wo

was not wood enough. And if there is such a place anywhere, people cou

cons

the use is of those queer brown leaves that grow upon rocks-you know-and the use of little mosses, that I never

ow themselves

things-ferns and flow

the use of th

think how pre

tiness is

that we do not know. And I think, Nora, that God would not have ta

do it?"

. He did everyt

thought they jus

ittle, watching the squirrel

led woman that lives on the mill r

Skelton, do

is-she cannot walk; she creep

her. Isn't

ver see he

n't. I have heard D

do te

d old thing-that

, ho

anything. She would hardly listen to M

I wonder?" said Daisy

t know anything; and she is as

oss to Mr.

ch a crabbed old thing. O she's horri

e under the walnut tree, where the gurgle of the water over the stones, and the company of the squirrels in the tree, made the place pleasant. And there they sat down in a great state of mutual contentment. Nora's feet were swingin

id Daisy,

Nora, kicki

old crippled woman-w

y Ske

r place-what do you thi

d Nora. "I should w

n, things that

uld come and make me straight

might be possible, you know. I do

"I don't believe Molly Sk

d you wish for

aight, and stand and go

n, what would you wish for t

. I should wish that somebody woul

ow

d to me, and take tea with

a with her?" said Daisy, upon whose fanc

lieve anybody would. I guess nobody l

her tea fo

. She does

can

ps her house clean too, though she on

sy, "that isn't

t is

that whatever we would like other peopl

you mea

an ju

isn't like

an go without what we would l

es not mean that we ought to go and mak

n her place," observed Daisy, "and I know

sy, she i

calmly. "Maybe she will wear a white robe in h

imed Nora indignantly. "Wicke

white robe, they do," said Daisy

!-there's the old mother squirrel peeping out of her hole. Do you see? Now s

o the neighbourhood of the children, attracted by the nuts they threw down; and getting pretty close to them, before she would venture quite so far as where the nuts lay, she sat down on her haunches to look and see whether all were safe; curling her thick, light plume of a tail up along her back, or whisking it about in various lines of beauty, whi