"Oh, was that what grandad meant?" she asked gravely.
"Yes. You see, girls marry and give up their name. But a boy carries it on. And grandad hated to have the name die out. He will be very proud of the boy, but I think no one will be quite as dear to him as Daffodil."
The child was revolving various thoughts in her mind, and made no comment. When they entered the house, Grandmother Bradin took off her hat and cloak, and kissed her very fondly. Her father watched the small serious face. Then he sat down in the big chair, and took her on his knee.
"Dilly," he began in a pleading tone, "I hope you won't feel as if—as if you would be crowded out. We have had you the longest, and you were our first sweet joy. We can never love any other child quite like that. And nothing can ever change our love for you. So you must not feel jealous because we shall love him and be glad to have him——"
"Oh, that was what you said a long time ago, when you first came home—that I was jealous. No, I didn't like mother to love you so much. And you were strange, and you can't love any one all at once;" incoherently.
"But you are not jealous now?"
"No. It didn't take her love from me, only a little while."
"It did not take it away at all. And there were two people to love you, instead of one. Suppose I had felt hurt because you loved grandfather so much?"
"Was it like that?" She raised her lovely eyes with an appealing light in them. "And was I very bad?"
He stooped and kissed her. "It was very natural, and the only thing, the best thing, is to wait until the other one understands. You love me now?"