quickly understanding, 'you drop
that, you'll have to.'

George at the same time got pen and paper and put them before the old
man. They stood round him angrily. He stared at the paper; a look of
horror came over his face.

'Go on! don't be a fool!' said his wife. She dipped the pen in the ink
and handed it to him.

Edith's steel-grey eyes were fixed on him, coldly compelling.

'Dear Daisy,' she began.

'Father always used to call her Daisy darling,' said George; 'he'd
better put that so as to bring back old times.'

They talked of him strangely, as if he were absent or had not ears to
hear.

'Very well,' replied Edith, and she began again; the old man wrote
bewilderedly, as if he were asleep. 'DAISY DARLING,-- ... Forgive me!...
I have been hard and cruel towards you.... On my knees I beg your
forgiveness.... The business has gone wrong ... and I am ruined.... If
you don't help me ... we shall have the brokers in ... and have to go
to the workhouse.... For God's sake ... have mercy on me! You can't let
me starve.... I know I have sinned towards you.--Your broken-hearted ...
FATHER.'

She read through the letter. 'I think that'll do; now the envelope,' and
she dictated the address.

When it was finished, Griffith looked at them with loathing, absolute
loathing--but they paid no more attention to him. They arranged to send
a telegram first, in case she should not open the letter,--

'_Letter coming; for God's sake open! In great distress._--FATHER.'

George went out immediately to send the wire and post the letter.

XIV

The letter was sent on a Tuesday, and on Thursday morning a telegram
came from Daisy to say she was coming down. Mrs Griffith was highly
agitated.

'I'll go and put on my silk dress,' she said.

'No, mother, that is a silly thing; be as shabby as you can.'

'How'll father be?' asked George. 'You'd better speak to him, Edith.'

He was called, the stranger in his own house.

'Look here, father, Daisy's coming this morning. Now, you'll be civil,
won't you?'

'I'm afraid he'll go and spoil everything,' said Mrs Griffith,
anxiously.

At that moment there was a knock at the door. 'It's her!'

Griffith was pushed into the back room; Mrs Griffith hurriedly put on a
ragged apron and went to the door.

'Daisy!' she cried, opening her arms. She embraced her daughter and
pressed her to her voluminous bosom. 'Oh, Daisy!'

Daisy accepted passively the tokens of affection, with a