against the basket of filmy laces that were to
adorn the beautiful heiress of whom she had heard so much, yet never
seen, and of whom every one felt in such awe.

She looked wistfully at the great mansion in the distance, thinking
how differently her own life had been.

The soft, wooing breeze fanned her cheeks, tossing about her golden
curls in wanton sport. It was so pleasant to sit there in the dreamy
silence watching the white fleecy clouds, the birds, and the flowers,
it was little wonder the swift-winged moments flew heedlessly by.
Slowly the white lids drooped over the light-blue eyes, the long,
golden lashes lay against the rosy cheeks, the ripe lips parted in a
smile--all unheeded were the fluted laces--Daisy slept. Oh, cruel
breeze--oh, fatal wooing breeze to have infolded hapless Daisy in your
soft embrace!

Over the hills came the sound of baying hounds, followed by a quick,
springy step through the crackling underbrush, as a young man in
close-fitting velvet hunting-suit and jaunty velvet cap emerged from
the thicket toward the main road.

As he parted the magnolia branches the hound sprang quickly forward at
some object beneath the tree, with a low, hoarse growl.

"Down, Towser, down!" cried Rex Lyon, leaping lightly over some
intervening brushwood. "What kind of game have we here? Whew!" he
ejaculated, surprisedly; "a young girl, pretty as a picture, and, by
the eternal, fast asleep, too!"

Still Daisy slept on, utterly unconscious of the handsome brown eyes
that were regarding her so admiringly.

"I have often heard of fairies, but this is the first time I have ever
caught one napping under the trees. I wonder who she is anyhow? Surely
she can not be some drudging farmer's daughter with a form and face
like that?" he mused, suspiciously eying the basket of freshly
laundered laces against which the flushed cheeks and waving golden
hair rested.

Just then his ludicrous position struck him forcibly.

"Come, Towser," he said, "it would never do for you and me to be
caught staring at this pretty wood-nymph so rudely, if she should by
chance awaken just now."

Tightening the strap of his game-bag over his shoulder, and
readjusting his velvet cap jauntily over his brown curls, Rex was
about to resume his journey in the direction of Whitestone Hall, when
the sound of rapidly approaching carriage-wheels fell upon his ears.
Realizing his awkward position, Rex knew the wisest course he could
possibly