to tell him? He would simply
find it ridiculous. And then I thought--"If any of you suffer as a
Christian, let him not be ashamed."

"I thought I should be comfortable in these things, Dr. Sandford," I
then said, glancing at the little chinchilla cap which lay on the
table;--"and respectable. And there were other people who needed all
the money the other things would have cost."

"What other people?" said the doctor. "As I am your guardian, Daisy,
it is proper for me to ask, and not impertinent."

I hesitated again. "I was thinking," I said, "of some of the people I
left at Magnolia."

"Do you mean the servants?"

"Yes, sir."

"Daisy, they are cared for."

I was silent.

"What do you think they want?"

"Some that are sick want comfort," I said, "and others who are not
sick want help; and others, I think, want a little pleasure." I would
fain not have spoken, but how could I help it? The doctor took his
feet off the sofa and sat up and confronted me.

"In the meantime," he said, "you are to be 'comfortable and
respectable.' But, Daisy, do you think your father and mother would be
satisfied with such a statement of your condition?"

"I suppose not," I was obliged to say.

"Then do you think it proper for me to allow such to be the fact?"

I looked at him. What there was in my look it is impossible for me to
say; but he laughed a little.

"Yes," he said,--"I know--you have conquered me to-day. I own myself
conquered--but the question I ask you is whether I am justifiable."

"I think that depends," I answered, "on whether _I_ am justifiable."

"Can you justify yourself, Daisy?" he said, bringing his hand down
gently over my smooth hair and touching my cheek. It would have vexed
me from anybody else; it did not vex me from him. "Can you justify
yourself?" he repeated.

"Yes, sir," I said; but I felt troubled.

"Then do it."

"Dr. Sandford, the Bible says, 'Whatsoever ye would that men should do
to you, do ye even so to them.'"

"Well," said he, refusing to draw any conclusions for me.

"I have more than I want, and they have not enough. I don't think I
ought to keep _more_ than I want."

"But then arises the question," said he, "how much do you want? Where
is the line, beyond which you, or I, for instance, have too much?"

"I was not speaking of anybody but myself," I said.

"But a rule of action which is the right one for you, would be right
for everybody."

"Yes, but everybody must apply i