Daisy said she would bring her word, and at last got off; without her ham and in glee inexpressible.  “They will have some for breakfast,” she said to herself; for there had been something in little Hephzibah’s eye as she received the great ham in her arms, that went through and through Daisy’s heart and almost set her to crying.  She was very glad to get away and to be in the pony chaise again driving home, and she almost wondered at her own bravery in that house.  She hardly knew herself; for true it was, Daisy had considered herself as doing work not of her own choosing while she was there; she felt in her Master’s service, and so was bold where for her own cause she would have shrunk away.  “But they have got something for breakfast!  I think mine will be good when I get it,” said Daisy.

Daisy however fell into a great muse upon the course of her morning’s experience.  To do as she would be done by, now seemed not quite so easy as she had thought; since it was plain that her notions and those of some other people were not alike on the subject.  How should she know what people would like?  When in so simple a matter as hunger, she found that some would prefer starving to being fed.  It was too deep a question for Daisy.  She had made a mistake, and she rather thought she should make more mistakes; since the only way she could see straight before her was the way of the command and the way of duty therefore; and she was very much inclined to think, besides, that in that way her difficulties would be taken care of for her.  It had been so this morning.  Mrs. Harbonner and she had parted on excellent terms—­and the gleam in that poor child’s eyes!—­

CHAPTER V.

Daisy was so full of her thoughts that she never perceived two gentlemen standing at the foot of the hall steps to receive her.  Not till Loupe in his best style had trotted up the road and stopped, and she had risen to throw down her reins.  Then Daisy started a little.  One gentleman touched his cap to her, and the other held out his hands to help her to alight.

“You are just in time for breakfast, Miss Randolph.  Is that the coach that was made out of a pumpkin?”

Daisy shook hands with the other gentleman and made no answer.

“I had always heard,” went on the first, “that the young ladies at the North were very independent in their habits; but I had no idea that they went to market before breakfast.”

“Sam,” said Daisy, “take the baskets to Joanna.”

“What is in the baskets?—­eggs?—­or butter?—­or vegetables?  Where do you go to market?”

“To New York, sir,” said Daisy.

“To New York!  And have you come from there this morning?  Then that is certainly also the pony that was once a rat! it’s a witchcraft concern altogether.”

“No sir,” said Daisy, “I don’t go to market.”

“Will you excuse me for remarking, that you just said you did?”