ve off. And I drew a long breath.

"Punctual to your time, Daisy," said the doctor. "But what made you
choose such a time? How much of yourself have you left by the way?"

"Miss Pinshon liked better to travel all night," I said, "because
there was no place where she liked to stop to spend the night."

"What was your opinion on that subject?"

"I was more tired than she was, I suppose."

"Has she managed things on the same system for the four years past?"

The doctor put the question with such a cool gravity, that I could not
help laughing. Yet I believe my laughing was very near crying. At
first he did so put me in mind of all that was about me when I used
to see him in that time long before. And an inexpressible feeling of
comfort was in his presence now; a feeling of being taken care of. I
had been looked after, undoubtedly, all these years--sharply looked
after; there was never a night that I could go to sleep without my
governess coming in to see that I was in my room, or in bed, and my
clothes in order, and my light where it ought to be. And my aunt had
not forgotten me, nor her perplexities about me. And Preston had
petted me when he was near. But even Preston sometimes lost sight of
me in the urgency of his own pleasure or business. There was a great
difference in the strong hand of Dr. Sandford's care; and if you had
ever looked into his blue eyes, you would know that they forgot
nothing. They had always fascinated me; they did now.

Mrs. Sandford was not up when we got to the house where she was
staying. It was no matter, for a room was ready for me; and Dr.
Sandford had a nice little breakfast brought, and saw me eat it, just
as if I were a patient. Then he ordered me to bed, and charged
Margaret to watch over me, and he went away, as he said, till luncheon
time.

I drew two or three long breaths as Margaret was undressing me; I felt
so comfortable.

"Are Miss Pinshon done gone away, Miss Daisy?" my handmaid asked.

"From Magnolia? yes."

"Where she gwine to?"

"I don't know."

"Then she don't go furder along the way we're goin'?"

"No. I wonder, Margaret, if they will have any prayer-meetings in
Magnolia now?" For with the mention of Magnolia my thoughts swept
back.

"'Spect the overseer have his ugly old way!" Margaret uttered with
great disgust. "Miss Daisy done promise me, I go 'long with Miss
Daisy?" she added.

"Yes. But what makes _you_ want to get away from home more than all
the