Oh! and I like sticky
sweets too," she continued seeing an ominous frown gathering on Dove's
brow. "I'm very much obliged to you, Mr. Dove." Then making a great
effort, she put out her little white hand to take one of the sweeties.
But Dove drew back quickly.
"No, no," he said, "not till they're arned--by no means until they're
arned. You don't suppose as a poor man--a poor man with a large
family, and an only love of a wife--can afford to bring sweeties all
for nothing to rich little ladies like yourself. No, no, miss; you arn
them, and you shall have them."
"But I'd rather not, please," said Daisy, "I'm not _very_ hungry for
sweeties to-day on account of my cold, and I think, on the whole, you
had better keep them, Mr. Dove. Indeed, I don't know how to earn
them--Primrose and Jasmine say I'm too young to earn."
Here Dove drew himself up to his full height, and stared hard at the
child.
"There's one way of arning," he said, "and one only. Look you here,
Miss Daisy Mainwaring, you are young, but you ain't no fool. Ef you
please, miss, you has got to make me a promise--you has got to say
that you will never tell, not to Miss Primrose nor to Miss Jasmine,
nor to no one, that you've seen me in this room.
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