sfied
smile. It satisfied Mr. Dinwiddie too. He wrapped up the spoon again,
handed it to Nora, and rose up to make his adieus to Mr. Randolph.

"Daisy," whispered Nora, "this spoon is for you. Will you take it for my
birthday present? Marmaduke says it is very handsome. It is his--he gave
it to me to give to you."

"It is very, very old," said Mr. Dinwiddie coming to Daisy. "It was
found in an old Egyptian tomb, and was made and put there perhaps before
the Israelites came out of Egypt. Good bye!"

He took Daisy's hand with a strong, kindly grasp, and went away with his
little sister just as the dinner-bell rang. Daisy had not time to look
at her present. She held it tight, and went in to dinner with it in her
hand.

Daisy did not generally dine with her father and mother. To-day was a
great exception to the rule. Even to-day she was not expected to eat
anything till the dessert came on; she had had her dinner; so she had
the more time for other things. Her place was by her mother; Capt.
Drummond on the other side, and Gary McFarlane opposite. Then her aunt,
Mrs. Gary, had arrived, just an hour before dinner; and she and her
children and one or two other friends filled the table, and the talking
and laughing went round faster than the soup. Daisy looked and
listened, very much pleased to see her aunt and cousins, and amused;
though as usual in her quiet fashion she gave no sign of it.

"How did that party come off, Daisy?" said Mr. Gary McFarlane.

"What party?" said Mrs. Gary.

"Daisy's birthday entertainment."

"Daisy invited all the gardeners and hay-makers to take supper and
strawberries with her, Aunt Gary," said Ransom.

"What is that?" said Mrs. Gary, looking to her sister.

"Ransom has stated the matter correctly."

"Gardeners and hay-makers! What was that for, Daisy?"

"I thought it would give them pleasure, aunt Gary,--" said Daisy.

"Give _them_ pleasure! of course, I suppose it would; but are we to give
everybody pleasure that we can? At that rate, why not invite our footmen
and chambermaids too? Why stop?"

"I suppose that will be the next thing," said Mrs. Randolph. "Daisy, you
must not eat that cheese."

"What's Daisy's notion?" said Mrs. Gary, appealing to her
brother-in-law.

"A child's notion," said Mr. Randolph. "The worst you can say of it is,
that it is Arcadian."

"How did it go off, Daisy?" said Gary McFarlane.

"I don't know," said Daisy. "I think it went off pretty well."