"God bless me!" she exclaimed with a start, and she seemed so much astonished that I saw this was as great a matter of surprise to her as to me. "Yes," Cornelius carelessly said, throwing himself down on the sofa, "I had long promised Daisy a walk, and not knowing where to take her, I brought her here." By this I had found my way to Kate, who kissed me with her eyes glistening. I think she was as much pleased as myself; and yet with what an odd mixture of feelings I gazed on my lost home! how strange, how familiar seemed everything! As Kate took off my bonnet she said, decisively-- "You shall stay the whole day, Daisy." "Then you must answer for it to Mrs. Gray," observed Cornelius. "To be sure. Are you hungry, Midge?--No? What do you want, then?-- Nothing?" "I am tired; I should like to sit down." "Sit down by all means, child," she replied gaily. I drew my old stool by her chair, and laid my head on her lap. She smiled and smoothed back my hair from my hot face: her other hand lay near it: I kissed it with trembling lips. It was kind of Cornelius--if he could no longer afford to be kind himself--to bring me back at least to her whose kindness, less tender and delightful, but more constant than his, had never failed me. Kate, who had put by her work, sat looking at me with a cheerful happy face. "Nonsense!" she exclaimed, and perceiving that my eyes fast filled with tears, "you are not crying, Daisy?" "And if I do cry," I hastily replied, "it is only because I am so happy to see you again." She laughed and said-- "Why, child, this is Tuesday, and I saw you on Sunday." "Well, I did not see you on Monday, did I?" "Little flatterer!" she answered, yet she looked pleased, for love is to us all the sweetest thing on earth. We remained thus for awhile; then Kate rose to attend to some domestic concerns. I wanted to follow her, but she told me to remain with Cornelius. I obeyed reluctantly; to be with him and not feel between us the friendly familiarity of old times, was no enjoyment, but a painful pleasure. I did not go near him, I did not speak; I sat on the chair Kate had left, and looked out of the window. He never addressed me; after awhile I heard him rise and leave the room. At once I slipped down to Kate, whom I found in the kitchen deep in pastry. "Now child, what brings you here?" she asked, turning round, and all covered with flour. "I want to be with you, Kate." "I am making a pie." "Then let me look at you." "Why did you leave Cornelius?" "It was he who left the parlour."