ke that; I'm engaged."

"Engaged?" he stammered, "engaged?"

"Yes, I'm engaged."

"And to whom? May I ask?"

"Oh, I can't tell you his name; it's a secret yet. He is a person I
never saw."

"Sheer madness!" was his horrified ejaculation. "Never saw him, and
going to marry him?"

"I promised, you know; I must, if he wants me," she said in her
unconcerned way.

"But don't you love _me_, Daisy?"

"Yes, I suppose I do, but that can't be helped; a promise is a promise."

"Who is to prevent it?" he exclaimed impatiently. "I say it shall be
helped."

There was not time for further rhapsodies. Aunt Hepsy appeared with a
telegram, calling Daisy home; and home she went next day, leaving Mr.
John Smith in despair. In vain he laid siege to Aunt Hepzibah and
Uncle Reuben; they could not help him.

Then, in a mighty wrath, he too went home, and desperately resolved to
have it out with the Thornton girl, one way or the other; but not "the
other" if Daisy could be brought to terms.

It was easy travelling where the way was all prepared. So a lovely
moonlight evening found him in Squire Thornton's parlor. In a few
moments there floated down to him from the invisible upper regions a
cloud of blue muslin, and the laughing face of Daisy Merrifield was
before him.

"Oh, Daisy, what a surprise! and how sweet you are!" as impulsively he
strained her to his heart. "What joy to find you here!"

"Don't crush my dress," she said, righting up the ruffles; "it's new.
Yes, I am here. Didn't you come to see me?"

"No--that is--I came to see Miss Thornton," and his face fell.

"There is no Miss Thornton," she said, her dimples playing
mischievously. "It is only _I_--_now_ don't you know?"

"But how is it? I was told--I understood--"

"Pshaw! you stupid!" she said, with a bewitching pout, "if you had been
a little more civil, you would have known that I am Mrs. Thornton's
daughter--not Mr. Thornton's; that mamma is mamma, but papa isn't papa,
and--"

But in an ecstacy of surprise and joy the rest of her sentence was
entirely smothered.

"And you knew from the first?" he asked, reproachfully.

"Not from the first, but almost. They were all in the plot. I meant to
snub you outright, only--well, somehow you didn't look as horrid as you
really were! The 'John Smith' was almost too much for me, but I stood
it. Then when the letter came--it was well for you I had seen you under
the tree. So you wouldn't marry the heiress," she sa