t Daisy did not summon Lewis. She sat quite
still, looking before her up to the cottage, with a thoughtful, puzzled,
troubled face. The matter was, that just there and not before, the
remembrance of her mother's command had flashed on her--that she should
have nothing to do with any stranger out of the house unless she had
first got leave. Daisy was stopped short. Get leave? She would never get
leave to speak again to that poor crabbed, crippled, forlorn creature;
and who else would take up the endeavour to be kind to her? Who else
would even try to win her to a knowledge of the Bible and Bible joys?
and how would that poor ignorant mortal ever get out of the darkness
into the light? Daisy did not know how to give her up; yet she could not
go on. The sweet rose on the top of her little rose tree mocked her,
with kindness undone and good not attempted. Daisy sat still, confounded
at this new barrier her mother's will had put in her way.

Wheels came rapidly coursing along the road in front of her, and in a
moment Dr. Sandford's gig had whirled past the cottage and bore down the
hill. But recognizing the pony chaise in the road, he too came to a stop
as sudden as Daisy's had been. The two were close beside each other.

"Where away, Daisy?"

"I do not understand, Dr. Sandford."

"Where are you going? or rather, why are you standing still here?"

"Because I was in doubt what to do."

"Did the doubt take you here, in the middle of the road?"

"Yes, Dr. Sandford."

"What is it, Daisy? To whom are you carrying a rose bush?"

"I am afraid--nobody."

"What is the matter--or the doubt?"

"It is a question of duty, Dr. Sandford."

"Then I will decide it for you. Go on and do what you wish to do. That
will be right."

"O no, sir," said Daisy, smiling at her adviser--"that is just what
would be wrong. I cannot."

"Cannot what?"

"Do that, sir; do what I wish to do." And Daisy sighed withal.

"What do you wish to do?"

The doctor was quite serious and as usual a little imperative in his
questions, and Daisy knew him to be trusted.

"I wanted to take this little rose bush and set it out in the garden up
there."

"_There?_? do you mean the garden of that cottage?" said the doctor
pointing with his whip.

"Yes, sir."

"Are you bound thither now?"

"No, sir--I am going home."

"Rose bush and all? Daisy, let Lewis get Loupe home, and you come here
and ride with me. Come! I want you."

Truly Daisy wanted no