Daisy was at least lukewarm in her fancy for that mode of spending her birthday; and separate plans of pic-nics and expeditions of pleasure were taken up and handled, sure to be thrown aside by Nora for the greater promise and splendour of the home entertainment.

They broke up at last without deciding upon anything, except that Nora should come again to talk about it, and should at all events have and give her share in whatever the plan for the day might be.
Perhaps Daisy watched her opportunity, perhaps it came; but at all events she seized the first chance that she saw to speak with her father in private.

He was sauntering out the next morning after breakfast.
Daisy joined him, and they strolled along through the grounds, giving here and there directions to the gardener, till they came near one of the pleasant rustic seats, under the shade of a group of larches.
"Papa, suppose we sit down here for a moment and let us look about us." "Well, Daisy,"-- said her father, who knew by experience what was likely to follow.
"Papa," said Daisy as they sat down, "I want to ask you about something." "What is it ?" "When I was in the chaise, driving Loupe the other day, papa, I heard something that I could not understand." "Did you ?" "It was two men that passed me on the road; I heard one say to the other as I went by, that it was your carriage, and then he said that 'Randolph's folks were a good deal _stuck up_;'-- what did he mean, papa ?" "Nothing of any consequence, Daisy." "But why did he say it, papa ?" "Why do you want to know ?" "I did not understand it nor like it, papa; I wanted to know what he meant." "It is hardly worth talking about, Daisy.

It is the way those who have not enough in the world are very apt to talk of others who are better off than themselves." "Why, papa ?" "They were poor men, I suppose, weren't they ?" "Yes papa--working men." "That class of people, my dear, are very apt to have a grudge against the rich." "For what, papa ?" "For being able to live better than they do." "Why papa! do poor people generally feel so ?" "Very often, I think.

They do not generally speak it out aloud." "Then papa," said Daisy speaking slowly, "how do you know?
What makes you think they feel so ?" Her father smiled at her eagerness and gravity.