Children -- Religious life -- Juvenile fiction; Christian life -- Juvenile fiction; Tableaux -- Juvenile fiction
"Then let Jesus help. My little lady keep the Lord's words, and the
sweet Lord Jesus will keep her." And rising to her feet and clasping her
hands, where she stood, Juanita poured forth a prayer. It was for her
little visiter. It was full of love. It was full of confidence too; and
of such clear simplicity as if, like Stephen, she had _seen_ the heavens
open. But the loving strength of it won Daisy's heart; and when the
prayer was finished she came close to the old woman and threw her arms
round her as she stood, and wept with her face hid in Juanita's dress.
Yet the prayer had comforted her too, greatly. And though Daisy was very
shy of intimacies with strangers, she liked to feel Juanita's hand on
her shoulder; and after the paroxysm of tears was past, she still stood
quietly by her, without attempting to increase the distance between
them; till she saw Sam coming down the lane with the pony.
"Good bye," said Daisy, "there's the boy."
"My lady will come to see old Juanita again?"
"I am Daisy Randolph. I'll come,"--said the child, looking lovingly up.
Then she went down the slope to Sam.
"The blacksmith couldn't shoe him, Miss Daisy--he hadn't a shoe to fit.
He took off the old shoe--so Miss Daisy please not drive him hard home."
Daisy wanted nothing of the kind. To get home soon was no pleasure; so
she let Loupe take his own pace, anything short of walking; and it was
getting dusk when they reached Melbourne. Daisy was not glad to be
there. It was Friday night; the next day would be Saturday.
Mrs. Randolph came out into the hall to see that nothing was the matter,
and then went back into the drawing-room. Daisy got her dress changed,
and came there too, where the family were waiting for tea. She came in
softly and sat down by herself at a table somewhat removed from the
others, who were all busily talking and laughing. But presently Capt.
Drummond drew near and sat down at her side.
"Have you had a good drive, Daisy?"
"Yes, Capt. Drummond."
"We missed our history to-day, but I have been making preparations.
Shall we go into the Saxon Heptarchy to-morrow--you and I--and see if we
can get the kingdom settled?"
"If you please. I should like it very much."
"What is the matter with you, Daisy?"
Daisy lifted her wise little face, which indeed looked as if it were
heavy with something beside wisdom, towards her friend; she was not
ready with an answer.
"You aren't going to die on the field of battle yet, Daisy?" he said
half lightly, and half he knew not why. It brought a rush of colour to
the child's face; the self-possession must have been great which kept
her from giving way to further expression of feeling. She answered with
curious calmness,
"I don't think I shall, Capt. Drummond."
The Captain saw it was a bad time to get anything from her, and he moved
away. Preston came the next minute.
"Why Daisy," he whispered, drawing his chair close, "where have you been
all day? No getting a sight of you. What have you been about?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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