and the witness of another kind in her eyes; though with her
characteristic steady self-control she neither moved nor spoke, and
suffered the tears to come no farther. Dr. Sandford saw it too, but he
said nothing. Mr. Randolph spoke.

"Is that decision on account of Daisy's supposed delinquency in that
matter?"

"Of course--" Mrs. Randolph answered drily.

"Can you explain it, Daisy?" her father asked, gravely and kindly
drawing her up to his side. Daisy struggled with some thought.

"Papa," she said softly, "will mamma be satisfied to punish me and let
it go so?"

"Let it go how?"

"Would she be satisfied with this punishment, I mean, and not make me
say anything more about it?"

"I should not. I intend to know the whole. Can you explain it?"

"I think I can, papa," Daisy said, but with a troubled unwillingness,
her father saw. He saw too that it was not the unwillingness of a
troubled conscience.

"Dr. Sandford, if you are willing to take the trouble of stopping
without the certainty of taking Daisy back with you, I have some hopes
that the result may be satisfactory to all parties."