nor buy none. Daisy was a great
favourite with Miss Underwood, especially ever since the night when she
had been summoned in her night dress to tell the child about the words
of the minister that day. Joanna never said "no" to Daisy if it was
possible to say "yes;" nor considered anything a trouble that Daisy
required. On this occasion, she promised that exactly what Daisy wanted
should be in readiness by the afternoon; and having thus secured her
arrangements Daisy went with a perfectly light heart to see what the
morning was to bring forth.

"Daisy!" shouted Preston as she was going down the piazza
steps,--"Daisy! where are you bound?"

"Out--" said Daisy, who was vaguely seeking the September sunshine.

"Well, 'out' is as good as anywhere. Wait till I get my hat. Come,
Daisy!--we have business on hand."

"What business?" said Daisy, as she was led along through the trees.

"Great business," said Preston,--"only I shall want help, Daisy--I want
a great deal of help. I cannot manage it alone. Wait till we get to a
real good place for a talk.--Here, this will do. Now sit down."

"How pretty it is to-day!" said Daisy.

For indeed the river opposite them looked a bright sheet of glass; and
the hills were blue in the morning light, and the sunshine everywhere
was delightsome. The beautiful trees of Melbourne waved overhead;
American elms hung their branches towards the ground; lindens stood in
masses of luxuriance; oaks and chestnuts spotted the rolling ground with
their round heads; and English elms stood up great towers of green. The
September sun on all this and on the well kept greensward; no wonder
Daisy said it was pretty. But Preston was too full of his business.

"Now, Daisy, we have got a great deal to do!"

"Have we?" said Daisy.

"It is this. Aunt Felicia has determined that she will give a party in
two or three weeks."

"A party! But I never have anything to do with parties--mamma's
parties--Preston."

"No. But with this one I think you have."

"How can I?" said Daisy. She was very pleasantly unconcerned as yet, and
only enjoying the morning and Preston and the trees and the sunshine.

"Why, little Daisy, I have got to furnish part of the entertainment; and
I can't do it without you."

Daisy looked now.

"Aunt Felicia wants me to get up some tableaux."

"Some what?" said Daisy.

"Tableaux. Tableaux vivants. Pictures, Daisy; made with living people."

"What do you mean, Preston?"

"Why