"Perhaps, after all, she is only following orders," said the Captain, with daring coolness. "A soldier's duty makes him terribly obstinate sometimes. You must excuse me, but you see I cannot help appreciating military qualities."
"Will you be good enough to say what you mean?" the lady asked, with sufficient displeasure of manner.
"Only, that I believe in my soul Daisy takes her orders from higher authority, than we do. And I have seen today I declare! I have seen a style of obedience and soldierly following, that would win any sort of a field ay, and die in it!" added the Captain, musingly. "It is the sort of thing that gets promotion from the ranks."
"How did all this happen to-day?" asked Mr. Randolph, as the lady was now silent. "I have heard only a bit of it."
In answer to which, Captain Drummond went into the details of the whole day's experience; told it point by point, and bit by bit; having a benevolent willingness that Daisy's father and mother should know, if they would, with what sort of a spirit they were dealing. He told the whole story; and nobody interrupted him.
"It is one thing," said the Captain, thoughtfully, as he concluded, "it is one thing to kneel very devoutly and say after the minister, 'Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these laws in our hearts;' I have done that myself; but it gives one an entirely different feeling to see some one in whose heart they are written!"
"There is only one thing left for you, Captain Drummond," said
Mrs. Randolph slightly; "to quit the army and take orders."
"I am afraid, if I did, you would never want to see me settled in Mr. Pyne's little church over here," the Captain answered, as he helped the lady to alight at her own door.
"Not till Daisy is safely married," said Mrs. Randolph laughing.