seen to walk so; yet the assuming of me was done in a manner
that I could not resist nor contravene. I knew how Christian's
eyes fell upon me; I dared not meet them.

"Is the doctor jealous of you, Daisy?" he whispered laughing.
I did not find an answer immediately.

"Does he _dare?_" Mr. Thorold said in a different tone.

"No, no. Christian, how imperious you are!"

"Yes," he said; "I will be so where you are concerned. What do
you mean, Daisy? or what does he mean?"

"He is my guardian, you know," I said; "and he has sharp eyes;
and he is careful of me."

"_Very_ careful?" said Mr. Thorold, laughing and pressing my
arm. "Daisy, _I_ am your guardian while you are in Washington. I
wish I had a right to say that you shall have nothing more to
do with Dr. Sandford. But for the present I must mind my
duty."

"And I mine," - I added, with my heart beating. Now it seemed
a good opening for some of the things I had to say; yet my
heart beat and I was silent.

"Yours, Daisy?" he said very tenderly. "What is yours? What
present pressure of conscience is giving you something hard to
do? I know it will be done! What work is this little soldier