older daughter Theresa. Mrs. Fish was coming from another quarter of the
country, with her children, Alexander and Frederica. Mr. Fish and Mr.
Stanfield were to go too; and Mr. and Mrs. Sandford, the doctor's
brother and sister-in-law. However, though this was to be such a strong
muster, Daisy thought of only two or three of the number that concerned
her personally. Preston and Ransom, of course; Alexander Fish; though
the two latter she thought of as likely to make disturbance more than
anything else; and Daisy liked a most lady-like quietness and propriety
in everything in which she was engaged. But besides these there was only
Ella Stanfield whose age would bring her into contact with Daisy; and
Daisy, very much of late accustomed to being alone or with older people,
looked with some doubtfulness at the prospect of having a young
companion to entertain. With that exception, and it hardly made one,
nothing could look brighter in the distance than Silver Lake.

Several days passed between Daisy's giving the note to her father and
the one fixed on for the expedition. In all that time Daisy was left to
guess whether or not it had been seen and read by him. No sign or token
told her; there was none; and Daisy could only conclude that he _must_
have seen it, because he could not very well help doing so. But she was
not at all discouraged. Rather the contrary; seeing that certainly her
father was not displeased with her.

In all these days too, Mr. Randolph had ample time and chance to observe
Daisy's action which had so disturbed her mother at meal times. Yet
hitherto he had never spoken of it. In fact it was so quietly done that
often the moment escaped him; and at other times, Daisy's manner so
asked for a shield rather than a trumpet, and the little face that
looked up from being covered with her hand was so bright and sweet, that
perhaps his heart shrank from saying anything that would change the