“Oh, my poor dear, is your foot so bad?” queried she, with quick sympathy; and presently she drew from her friend the story of the morning’s happenings. “Oh, Annette, I cannot give him up! I love him so dearly! You will help me to win him back, won’t you, dear?” “Indeed, I will, if you will only tell me what I can do for you,” responded Annette, the tears of sympathy shining in her bright dark eyes. Daisie thought a few moments, very seriously, and then announced her plan: “Write him a friendly note, Annette, asking him to call at your house this evening and see you about a very particular matter. Don’t mention my name, or, in his first resentment, he might refuse to come.” Annette nodded her approval, and said: “And when he arrives I must explain your affair to him, and beg him to forgive you, and come and see you?” “If you will be so kind, dear Annette,” murmured Daisie, whose shining eyes were dried now in the sunshine of hope. Annette went to the writing desk, and penned a dainty little note, inviting Dallas Bain to call on her that evening, as she wished to consult him about his taking part in some private theatricals they were planning for a village charity. “I have heard that he is a splendid amateur actor, so he will not refuse,” she said gleefully. “And I can tell him afterward that it was just a ruse to get him to my house to plead your cause. Depend upon it, he will be overjoyed to learn that you intend to throw over Royall Sherwood for his sake,” she added encouragingly. “Now, Annette, please run out to the post office at the corner, and post it quickly, so that he will not fail to get it this afternoon,” cried Daisie, with feverish impatience. Annette went as requested, and when she returned she said joyously: “Oh, Daisie, I wish you were as happy as I am! I am engaged, you know, and only think--I had a letter from my dear boy this morning, saying that he is coming to see me to-morrow. He is a commercial traveler, you know, and just perfectly magnificent! The only drawback is that he’s just horridly jealous, and does not permit me to look at any other man.” “Well, you need not want to, if you love him. I would not care if there were not another man in the world to look at but Dallas!” cried Daisie tenderly. “Oh, I dare say you may be tired of looking at him some day when you are married to him!” laughed Annette; but she could not persuade Daisie of it. She was in love in the most romantic fashion. While the girls laid their innocent plans for calling back Daisie’s lover, Mrs. Fleming rode back to Sea View with fury in her heart--the fury of “a woman scorned.” Keen and bitter had been her humiliation when Daisie had said so innocently: “He laughed at the idea of marrying you!” Her last hope of winning him was gone now, and jealous anger entered her heart and drove out the sweet guest, Love. She hated and envied Daisie Bell with a hatred beyond all telling.