"Why couldn't you? I would not have given it to you, Daisy, if I had
thought you would not have kept it."

"I wanted to keep it very much--but I could not," said Daisy with the
tears in her eyes.

"Why 'could not'? why couldn't you? did you give it away, Daisy? that
spoon I gave you?"

"Nora, I could not help it! Somebody else wanted it very much, and I was
obliged to let her have it. I could not help it."

"I shall tell Marmaduke that you did not care for it," said Nora in an
offended tone. "I wish I had kept it myself. It was a beautiful spoon."

Daisy looked very much troubled.

"Who has got it?" Nora went on.

"It is no matter who has got it," said Daisy. "I couldn't keep it."

"She is right, Nora," said Preston, who came up just then, at the same
time with the doctor. "She could not keep it, because it was taken away
from her without any leave asked. I mean she shall have it back, too,
one of these days. Don't you say another word to Daisy!--she has behaved
like a little angel about it."

Preston's manner made an impression, as well as his words. Nora was
checked.