n the event of a
favourable answer, the doctor said he would himself drive Daisy over,
and would call for that purpose in another hour or two. He delivered his
message, and Mrs. Randolph replied at once that Daisy could not go; she
could not permit it.

Mr. Randolph saw the flush of hope and disappointment on Daisy's face
and the witness of another kind in her eyes; though with her
characteristic steady self-control she neither moved nor spoke, and
suffered the tears to come no farther. Dr. Sandford saw it too, but he
said nothing. Mr. Randolph spoke.

"Is that decision on account of Daisy's supposed delinquency in that
matter?"

"Of course--" Mrs. Randolph answered drily.

"Can you explain it, Daisy?" her father asked, gravely and kindly
drawing her up to his side. Daisy struggled with some thought.

"Papa," she said softly, "will mamma be satisfied to punish me and let
it go so?"

"Let it go how?"

"Would she be satisfied with this punishment, I mean, and not make me
say anything more about it?"

"I should not. I intend to know the whole. Can you explain it?"

"I think I can, papa," Daisy said, but with a troubled unwillingness,
her father saw. He saw too that it was not the unwillingness of a
troubled conscience.

"Dr. Sandford, if you are willing to take the trouble of stopping
without the certainty of taking Daisy back with you, I have some hopes
that the result may be satisfactory to all parties."

"_Au revoir_, then," said the doctor, and he strode off.

"Now, Daisy," said her father, still having his arms about her--"what is
it?" Mrs. Randolph stood by the table and looked coldly down at the
group. Daisy was under great difficulty; that was plain.

"Papa--I wish Ransom could tell you!"

"Where is the boy?"

Mrs. Randolph rang the bell.

"It is no use, mamma; he has gone off with Preston somewhere."

"That is a mere subterfuge, Daisy, to gain time."

Daisy certainly looked troubled enough, and timid also; though her meek
look at her mother did not plead guilty to this accusation.

"Speak, Daisy; the telling whatever there is to tell must come upon
you," her father said. "Your business is to explain the charge Ransom
has brought against you."

All Daisy's meditations had not brought her to the point of knowing what
to say in this conjuncture. She hesitated.

"Speak, Daisy!" her father said peremptorily.

"Papa, they had put me--Eloise and Theresa Stanfield--they had put me to
watch th