is wife: and
they twain shall be one flesh.' So I could see it was right for my
father to love his wife best of all earthly creatures--she being but a
part of himself--and besides I could not doubt that he loved me and
each one of his children very, very dearly."

"Yes, I am sure he does," said Grace, vainly trying to speak in her
usual cheery, light-hearted tones. "Oh, Lu, I don't wonder you cried
over it. It would just kill me to think papa didn't care very much
about me."

"Oh, Gracie, he does! I know he does! I am sure he would not hesitate
a moment to risk his life for any one of us."

"Yes, I am sure of it! and what but his love for you makes him so
unwilling to give you up to Chester? I can see that Ches feels it hard
to wait, but father certainly has the best of rights to keep his
daughters to himself as long as they are under age."

"And as much longer as he chooses, so far as I am concerned. I am only
too glad that he seems so loath to give me up. My dear, dear father!
Words cannot express my love for him or the regret I feel for the
rebellious conduct which gave him so much pain and trouble in days
long gone by."

"Dear Lu," said Grace, "I am perfectly sure our dear father forgave
all that long ago."

"Yes, but I can never forget or forgive it myself. Nor can I forget
how glad and thankful he was that I was not the one killed by the bear
out at Minersville, or his saving me that time when I was so nearly
swept into Lake Erie by the wind; how closely he hugged me to his
breast--a tear falling on my head--when he got me safely into the
cabin, and the low-breathed words, 'Thank God, my darling, precious
child is safe in my arms.' Oh, Gracie, I have seemed to hear the very
words and tones many a time since. So I cannot doubt that he does love
me very much; even if I am not so dear to him as his wife is."

"And you love mamma, too?"

"Yes, indeed! she is just like a dear older sister. I may well love
her since she is so dear to papa, and was so kind and forbearing with
me in those early years of her married life when I certainly was very
far from being the good and lovable child I ought to have been. She
was very forbearing, and never gave papa the slightest hint of my
badness."

"She has always been very good and kind to us," said Grace, "and I
love her very dearly."

"And papa showed his love for me in allowing Chester to offer himself
because he had saved my life--for otherwise he would have forbi