“She must make allowance for what your eyes see,” said Mrs. Randolph.

Mr. Randolph made no answer.

“Daisy is entirely changed,” her mother went on,—­“and is become utterly obstinate and unmanageable.  Perfectly self-important too—­she thinks there is no wisdom now but her own.  I may thank you for it, Dr. Sandford.”

“You do me too much honour,” said the doctor.

“It is an honour you share with Mr. Dinwiddie.”

“I did not know I shared anything with Mr. Dinwiddie.”

“He has infected the child with a set of perfectly fanatical notions; and you persisted in keeping her under that creature’s care, where they had time to grow strong.”

“I will do all I can to repair mischief done,” said the doctor.  “Mrs. Benoit is a good nurse for the body and you will bear me witness it was for repairs of that I was called in.  What is the other damage referred to?”

“Fanaticism.”

“Rather young for that disease to take deep root,” said the doctor.

“Anything takes deep root in Daisy; whatever she takes up she holds to.”

“I advise you to let her be fanatical then a little while longer,” said the doctor, “till she has time to lay up some strength.”

And the doctor took his departure.

“I am sure that is wise counsel, Felicia,” Mr. Randolph said.  But the lady made him no answer.

Ransom went off to school the next day, as his father had promised.  Mrs. Randolph looked very gloomy; Mrs. Gary looked not otherwise; and Daisy thought the mental and social horizon foreboded stormy weather.  But very happily, as it seemed to her, before dinner there was an arrival of some expected visitors, coming to stay for a time in the house.  They had been desired as well as expected; there was a famous lady and a learned gentleman among them; and every eye and ear were taken up with attending to their words or waiting upon their movements.  Daisy and her concerns were, she thought, forgotten.

She enjoyed the feeling of this for a little while; and then ordered her pony chaise.  And presently you might have seen a little figure in a white frock come out upon the front steps, with a large flat on her head and driving gloves on her hands and in one of them a little basket.  Down the steps she came and took her place in the chaise and gathered up the reins.  The black pony was ready, with another boy in place of Sam; nobody interfered with her; and off they went, the wheels of the little chaise rolling smoothly over the gravel, Loupe in a gentle waddling trot, and Daisy in a contented state of mind.  It was very pleasant!  Clear sunny air, yet not too hot, and the afternoon shadows beginning to make all things look lovely.  Daisy took the way to the church, passed out upon the high road, and turned the pony’s head in the direction which she had taken with Dr. Sandford the day before.  She did not go quite so fast, however; so that it was a little