"Oh, how delightfully romantic!" cried Eve. "I said to myself over and over again there was some mystery in your life. I have seen such strange shadows in your eyes, and your voice often had the sound of tears in it. I do wish I could help you in some way," said Eve, thoughtfully. "I'd give the world to set the matter straight for you. What's his name, and where does he live?" "I can not tell you," said Daisy, shaking her golden curls sadly. "Oh, dear! then I do not see how I can help you," cried Eve. "You can not," replied Daisy; "only keep my secret for me." "I will," she cried, earnestly. And as they parted, Eve resolved in her own mind to bring this truant lover of Daisy's back to his old allegiance; but the first and most important step was to discover his name. Eve went directly to her own room, her brain whirling with a new plan, which she meant to put into execution at once, while Daisy strolled on through the grounds, choosing the less frequented paths. She wanted to be all alone by herself to have a good cry. Somehow she felt so much better for having made a partial confidante of Eve. The sun was beginning to sink in the west; still Daisy walked on, thinking of Rex. A little shrill piping voice falling suddenly upon her ears caused her to stop voluntarily. "Won't you please reach me my hat and crutch? I have dropped them on your side of the fence." Daisy glanced around, wondering in which direction the voice came from. "I am sitting on the high stone wall; come around on the other side of that big tree and you will see me." The face that looked down into Daisy's almost took her breath away for a single instant, it was so like Rex's. A bright, winning, childish face, framed in a mass of dark nut-brown curls, and the brownest of large brown eyes. "Certainly," said Daisy, stooping down with a strange unexplainable thrill at her heart and picking up the wide-brimmed sun-hat and crutch, which was unfortunately broken by the fall. A low cry burst from the child's lips. "Oh, my crutch is broken!" she cried, in dismay. "What shall I do? I can not walk back to the house. I am lame!" "Let me see if I can help you," said Daisy, scaling the stone wall with the grace of a fawn. "Put your arms around my neck," she said, "and cling very tight. I will soon have you down from your high perch; never mind the crutch. I can carry you up to the porch; it is not very far, and you are not heavy." In a very few moments Daisy had the child down safely upon _terra firma_. "Thank you," said the child. "I know you are tired; we will rest a moment, please, on this fallen log." The touch of the little girl's hands, the glance of the soft brown eyes, and the tone of her voice seemed to recall every word and glance of Rex, and hold a strange fascination for her. "I shall tell my mother and my brother how good you have been to me, and they will thank you too. My name is Birdie; please tell me yours." "My name is Daisy Brooks," she answered.