e infant here, Daisy?"

"No, no. I ran away with her on to the moors. I was so frightened, for I
thought baby had died. Then Maggie came, and she saved her life, and she
was brought home again."

"That's a good thing; but I can't see why you are troubling me with this
story."

"Yesterday morning I gave baby back to Dr. Maybright. He's not like
other people; he looked at me, and his look pierced my heart. He said
something, too, and then for the first time I began to be really, really
sorry. I went up to my room; I stayed there alone all day; I was
miserable."

"Served you right if you were, Daisy."

"In the evening I was so hungry, I went down for food. I met Firefly;
she told me the worst."

"Then the baby died? You really are an awful girl, Daisy Rymple."

"No. The baby is pretty well, and Polly, who sprained her foot running
after me, is pretty well; but it's--it's Dr. Maybright--the best man I
ever met--a man who could have helped me and made me a--a good
girl--he's very, very ill, and they think he may die. He wasn't strong,
and he was out all night looking for baby and me, and he got a bad
chill, and he--he may be dead now. It was my doing; Fly told me so."

Flower laid her head on the table; her long sustained fortitude gave
way; she sobbed violently.

Her tears stained Mrs. Cameron's snowy table-linen; her head was pressed
down on her hands; her face was hidden. She was impervious in her woe to
any angry words or to the furious barking of a small dog.

At last a succession of violent shakes recalled her to herself.

"_Will_ you sit up?--spoiling my damask and shedding tears into the
excellent coffee I have made for you. Ah, that's better; now I can see
your face. Don't you know that you are a very naughty, dangerous sort of
girl?"

"Yes, I know that quite well. Mother always said that if I didn't check
my passion I'd do great mischief some day."

"And right she was. I don't suppose the table-linen will ever get over
those coffee stains mixed with tears. Now, have the goodness to tell me,
Daisy, or Ivy, or whatever you are called, why you have come to tell
this miserable, disgraceful story to me."

"Fly said they none of them could love me now."

"I should think not, indeed! No one will love such a naughty girl. What
have you come to me for?"

"I thought I could stay with you for a little, until there was another
home found for me."

"Oh, ah! Now at last we have come to the bottom of the mys