ral printed forms with blank spaces which were to
be filled up. There was something in his voice which made Daisy look
at him, but her eyes fell and her cheeks flushed hotly as she met his
glance.

Daisy was not used to keeping a secret locked up in her truthful
little heart. She longed to throw her arms around his neck and whisper
to him of her mad, romantic marriage, and of the handsome young
husband who loved her so fondly.

Daisy knew so little of real life, and less of love and marriage, up
to the time she had met Rex! Her heroes had been imaginary ones, her
ideas of love only girlish, romantic fancies. It was all very
exciting and charming. She was very fond of handsome Rex, but she had
yet to learn the depths of love which, sooner or later, brightens the
lives of lovable women.

Daisy looked at the envelope with a wistful glance.

"I am going to make a lady of you, my little sunbeam. I am going to
send you off to boarding-school. That's what you have always wanted;
now I am going to humor your whim."

"But I--I do not want to go now, Uncle John. I--I have changed my
mind."

"What!"

"I--I don't want to go off to boarding-school now. I had rather stay
here with you."

John Brooks laid down the pipe he was just lighting in genuine
surprise.

"Why, it's only last week you were crying those pretty eyes of yours
out, teasing to be sent to school. I--well, confound it--I don't
understand the ways of women. I always thought you were different from
the rest, little Daisy, but I see you are all the same. Never two days
of the same mind. What is the reason you've changed your mind, pet?"

"Indeed, I don't want to go now, Uncle John. Please don't talk about
it any more. I--I am happier here than I can tell you."

John Brooks laughed cheerily.

"It's too late for you to change your mind now, little one. I have
made arrangements for you to start bright and early to-morrow morning.
The stage will be here by daylight, so you had better start off to bed
at once, or there will be no roses in these checks to-morrow."

He never forgot the expression of the white, startled face Daisy
raised to his. For once in her life Daisy was unable to shake him from
his purpose.

"I know best, little one," he said. "I mean to make a lady of you. You
have no fortune, little Daisy, but your pretty face. It will be hard
to lose my little sunbeam, but it is my duty, Daisy. It is too late to
back out now; for once I am firm. You m