Melbourne House, Volume 1 | Page 9

only you are willing to give yourself to be his little servant."
"I will give him all I have got, sir," said Daisy, looking up.
"Very well; then I will shew you one thing more--it is a word of the Lord Jesus. See--'_If ye love me, keep my commandments_.' Now I want you to keep those two words, and you can't remember where to find them again--I must let you take this book with you." And Mr. Dinwiddie folded down leaves in the two places.
"But Mr. Dinwiddie,"--said Daisy softly--"I don't know when I can get it back to you again, sir."
"Never mind--keep it, and when you don't want it, give it to some poor person that does. And remember, little one, that the good Lord expects his servants to tell him their troubles and to pray to him every day."
"Thank you, sir!" was Daisy's deep ejaculation.
"Don't thank me. Now will your pony get you home before dark?"
"O yes, Mr. Dinwiddie! Loupe is lazy, but he can go, and I will make him."
The chaise went off at a swift rate accordingly, after another soft grateful look from its little driver. Mr. Dinwiddie stood looking after it. Of a certain woman, of Thyatira it is written that "the Lord opened her heart, that she attended to the things which were spoken." Surely, the gentleman thought, the same had been true of his late little charge. He went thoughtfully home. While Daisy, not speculating at all, in her simplicity sat thinking that she was the Lord's servant; and rejoiced over and over again that she had for her own and might keep the book of her Lord's commandments. There were such things as Bibles in the house, certainly, but Daisy had never had one of her own. That in which she had read the other night and which she had used to study her lessons for Mr. Dinwiddie, was one belonging to her brother, which he was obliged to use at school. Doubtless Daisy could also have had one for the asking; she knew that; but it might have been some time first; and she had a certain doubt in her little mind that the less she said upon the subject the better. She resolved her treasure should be a secret one. It was right for her to have a Bible; she would not run the risk of disagreeable comments or commands by in any way putting it forward. Meanwhile she had become the Lord's servant! A very poor little beginning of a servant she thought herself; nevertheless in telling Mr. Dinwiddie what she had, it seemed to Daisy that she had spoken aloud her oath of allegiance; and a growing joy in the transaction and a growing love to the great Saviour who was willing to let her be his servant, filled her little heart. She just knew that the ride home was lovely, but Daisy's mind was travelling a yet more sunshiny road. She was intelligent in what she had done. One by one Mr. Dinwiddie's lessons had fallen on a willing and open ear. She knew herself to be a sinner and lost; she believed that the Lord Jesus would save her by his death; and it seemed to her the most natural and reasonable and pleasant thing in the world, that the life for which his blood had been shed, should be given to him. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." "I wonder," thought Daisy, "what they are."

CHAPTER III
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"What sort of an expedition did you have, Daisy?" her father asked at breakfast next morning. Company the evening before had prevented any talk about it.
"O very good, papa! It was as good as a fairy tale."
"Was it?" said Mr. Randolph. "I wonder what pitch of excellence that is. I don't remember ever finding a fairy tale very good to me."
"Did you ever read any, papa?"
"I don't know! Were you not tired with your long drive?"
"O no, papa!"
"Would you like to go again?"
"Yes papa, very much."
"You may go as often as you like--only always let Sam be along."
"Did you find out what Mrs. Parsons wants?" said Mrs. Randolph.
"No, mamma--she did not look as if she wanted anything, except to see me. And yet she is very poor, mamma."
At this speech Mr. Randolph burst into a round laugh, and even Mrs. Randolph seemed amused.
"Did she look as if she wanted to see you, Daisy?"
"Papa, I think she did," said Daisy colouring; "she said so at any rate; but I could not find out what else she would like."
"Daisy, I think she shewed very good taste," said Mr. Randolph, drawing his little daughter into his arms; "but it would be safe to take something else with you when you go."
"Your birthday is next week, Daisy," said her mother; "and your aunt Gary and your