Dr. Sandford took one end of the poles and Logan the other,
and the last of the party they set forth. Why Dr. Sandford had
made this arrangement, was best known to himself. Perhaps he
preferred it to having Mrs. Fish on his arm, who was a very
fine lady; perhaps he preferred it to the attentions he might
have had to pay to the younger damsels of the party, who would
all three have been on his hands at once, very likely. At all
events he did prefer to be one of the chair-bearers, and Daisy
was very glad of it.
The rest of the party were well in advance, out of sight and
hearing. Tramp, tramp, the steady regular footfall of her
bearers, and the light plashing of rain drops as they fell,
and the stir of the wind in the leaves, were all the sounds
that Daisy heard. No rain fell now; on the contrary the heaven
was clear as a bell, and light enough came through the woods
to show the way with comfortable certainty. Overhead, the
stars were shining down with wonderful brilliancy, through the
air which the storm had cleansed from all vapours; the moon
was coming up somewhere, too. The smell of the trees and other
green things was exceedingly sweet after the rain; and the
delicious soft air was very delicious after the sultry day.
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