“She will make more use of him now,” said Mr. Randolph.

Ransom looked very glum.  His mother rose, with the ladies, and went to the drawing-room.

CHAPTER VII.

A day or two after the birthday, it happened that Capt.  Drummond was enjoying the sunshine in a way that gentlemen like to enjoy it; that is, he was stretched comfortably on the grass under the shade of some elm trees, looking at it.  Perhaps it was not exactly the sunshine that he was enjoying, but the soft couch of short grass, and the luxurious warm shadow of the elms, and a little fanciful breeze which played and stopped playing, and set the elm trees all a flutter and let them be still, by turns.  But Capt.  Drummond was having a good time there, all by himself, and lying at length in a most lazy luxurious fashion; when he suddenly was “ware” of a fold of white drapery somewhere not very far from his left ear.  He raised himself a little up, and there to be sure, as he had guessed, was Daisy.  She was all alone too, and standing there looking at him.

Now Capt.  Drummond was a great favourite of Daisy’s.  In the first place he was a handsome fellow, with a face which was both gentle and manly; and his curly light-brown hair and his slight well-trimmed moustache set off features that were pleasant for man or woman to look upon.  Perhaps Daisy liked him partly for this, but I think she had other reasons.  At any rate, there she stood looking at him.

“Can you command me, Daisy?” said the young officer.

“Are you at leisure, Capt.  Drummond?”

“Looks like it!” said the gentleman rousing himself.  “What shall I give you? a camp-chair? or will you take the—­O! that is a better arrangement.”

For Daisy had thrown on the ground a soft shawl for a carpet, and took her place upon it beside Capt.  Drummond, who looked at her in a pleased kind of way.

“Are you quite at leisure, Capt.  Drummond?”

“Gentlemen always are—­when ladies’ affairs are to be attended to.”

“Are they?” said Daisy.

“They ought to be!”

“But I am not a lady.”

“What do you call yourself?”

“I don’t know,” said Daisy gravely.  “I suppose I am a little piece of one.”

“Is that it?” said Capt.  Drummond laughing.  “Well, I will give you as large a piece of my leisure as you can make use of—­without regard to proportions.  What is on hand, Daisy?”

“Capt.  Drummond,” said Daisy with a very serious face,—­“do soldiers have a very hard time?”

“Not always.  Not when they are lying out under the trees at Melbourne, for example.”

“But I mean, when they are acting like soldiers?”

He was ready with a laughing answer again, but seeing how earnest Daisy’s face was, he controlled himself; and leaning on his elbow, with just a little smile of amusement on his face, he answered her.