r
violence some distance off; then the wind and the rain did their part,
which they had not fully done before. And all the while the poor party
of pleasure sat or stood as thick as bees in a hive, in the miserable
shelter of the cottage. Miserable yet welcome. Very tired and impatient
the people became as they grew less frightened. Daisy had long been fast
asleep. The day waned and drew near its ending. When sunset was, nobody
could tell by the light; but that night was at hand was at last evident
from the darkness.

"Your arms must be weary, Mr. Randolph," said Dr. Sandford. "Let me
relieve you of your burden."

"I cannot let you do that."

"I will," said the doctor. "Daisy being my charge as well as yours,
gives me a right." And the transfer was actually made before Daisy was
aware of it. She waked up however, with a feeling of some change and a
doubt upon her mind as to what custody she was in; but she was not sure,
till the woman of the house lit a miserable dip candle, which threw a
light that mocked the darkness over the weary company. Daisy did not
like the arrangement at all.

"Dr. Sandford!" she exclaimed. "I shall tire you. Please put me on the
floor and let me stand."

"No--you cannot," said the doctor decidedly. "Be a good child, Daisy.
Lay your head down and go to sleep again."

And greatly to Daisy's astonishment the doctor's moustache brushed her
lip. Now Daisy had always thought to herself that she would never allow
anybody that wore a moustache to kiss her; here it was done, without
leave asked; and if the doctor was so independent of rules as that, she
thought she had best not provoke him. Besides, she remembered that her
father must be tired with carrying her so long; and moreover, if Dr.
Sandford liked her well enough to kiss her, maybe he would not care for
the trouble of holding her for a while. At any rate Daisy submitted
peaceably to the necessity; put her arm over the doctor's shoulder to
support herself and laid her head down; though not to sleep. She watched
everything that was going on now. What a roomful of weary and impatient
people they were! packed like cattle in a pen, for closeness; and how
the rain poured and beat outside the house! The shelter was something to
be thankful for, and yet how unthankful everybody looked. Some of the
gentlemen shewed calm fortitude under their trials; but the poor ladies'
chagrined faces said that days of pleasure were misnamed. Alexander Fish
had