Daisy In The Field

"Daisy!" he exclaimed, warmly grasping my hand, - "Miss

Randolph! where is Mrs. Randolph, and what brings you here?"

"Why, the train, to be sure, Grant," answered his sister-in-

law. "What a man you are - for business! Do let Daisy rest and

breathe and have something to eat, before she is obliged to

give an account of herself. See, we are tired to death."

Perhaps she was, but I was not. However, the doctor and I both

yielded. Mrs. Sandford and I withdrew to change our dresses,

and then we had supper; but after supper, when she was again

out of the room, Dr. Sandford turned to me and took my hand.

"I must go presently," he said. "Now, Miss Randolph, what is

it?"

I sat down and he sat down beside me, still holding my hand,

on a sofa in the room.

"Dr. Sandford, my cousin Gary is a prisoner and in the

hospital. You wrote to mamma."

"Yes. I thought his mother might like to know."

"She is ill herself, in Georgia, and cannot come to

Washington. Dr. Sandford, I want to go in and take care of

him."

"You!" said the doctor. But whatever he thought, his

countenance was impenetrable.

"You can manage that for me."

"Can I?" said he. "But, Daisy, you do not come under the

regulations."

"That is no matter, Dr. Sandford."

"How is it no matter?"

"Because, I know you can do what you like. You always could

manage things for me."

He smiled a little, but went on in an unchanged tone.

"You are too young; and - excuse me - you have another

disqualification."

"I will do just as you tell me," I said.

"If I let you in."

"You will let me in."

"I do not see that I ought. I think I ought not."

"But you will, Dr. Sandford. My cousin was very dear to me

when I was a child at Melbourne - I love him yet very much -

no one would take so good care of him as I would; and it would

be a comfort to me for ever. Do let me go in! I have come for

that."

"You might get sick yourself," he said. "You do not know what

you would be obliged to hear and see. You do not know, Daisy."

"I am not a child now," - I replied.

There was more in my answer than mere words; there was more, I

know, in my feeling; and the doctor took the force of it. He

looked very sober, though, upon my plan, which it was evident

he did not like.

"Does Mrs. Randolph give her consent to this proceeding?" he

asked.

"She knows I came that I might look after Preston. I did not

tell her my plan any further."