It
was not exactly a new thing, nor was Daisy entirely surprised
at the attempt to divert her from her purpose. She was wise
enough to guess that Preston's' object had been more than the
pleasure of her company; and she knew that all at home, unless
possibly her father might be excepted, neither liked nor
favoured her kindness to Molly, and would rejoice to interrupt
the tokens of it. All were against her; and Daisy's hand went
up again and again. "It is good I am weak and not very well,"
she thought; "as soon as I grow strong mamma will not let me
do this any more. I must do all I can now."
So she came to the cripple's gate; and by that time the tears
were all gone.
Nobody was in the little courtyard; Daisy went in first to see
how the rose looked. It was all safe and doing well. While she
stood there before it, the cottage door opened and the poor
inmate came out. She crawled down the walk on hands and knees
till she got near Daisy, and then sat back to look at her.
"What do you want?" she said, in a most uninviting and
ungracious tone of voice.
"I came to see you," said Daisy, venturing to let her eyes
rest for the first time on those poor, restless, unloving eyes
opposite her — "and I wanted to see the rose, and I have
brought you another flower — if you will let me bring it in.
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