er will he keep his anger forever."

"Is he angry with me?" she asked fearfully.

"No, dearest, it is all sent in _love_; we cannot see the reason now,
but one day we shall--when we get home to our Father's house, for then
everything will be made plain; it may be, Elsie dear, that you, by your
steady adherence to the right, are to be made the honored instrument in
bringing your father to a saving knowledge of Christ. You would be
willing to suffer a great deal for that, dear child, would you not?
even all you are suffering now?"

"Ah, yes, indeed!" she said earnestly, clasping her hands together; "but
I am afraid it is _not that_! I am afraid it is because I loved my papa
_too_ well, my dear, _dear_ papa--and God is angry with me--and now I
shall never, never see him again,"

She groaned aloud, and covered her face with her hands; and now the tears
fell like rain, and her whole frame shook with convulsive sobs.

Mrs. Travilla hailed this outburst of grief with deep thankfulness,
knowing that it was far better for her than that unnatural apathy, and
that when the first violence of the storm had subsided, the aching heart
would find itself relieved of half its load.

She gently soothed the little weeper until she began to grow calm again,
and the sobs were almost hushed, and the tears fell softly and quietly.

Then she said, in low, tender tones, "Yes, my darling, you will see him
again; I feel quite sure of it. God is the hearer of prayer, and he will
hear yours for your dear father."

"And will he send my papa hack to me I oh, will he come _soon_? do you
think he will, dear Mrs. Travilla?" she asked eagerly.

"I don't know, darling; I cannot tell _that_; but one thing we do know,
that it is _all_ in God's hands, and he will do just what is best both
for you and your father. He may see fit to restore you to each other in a
few weeks or months, and I hope and trust he will; but however _that_ may
be, darling, remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'Your
Father knoweth that ye have _need_ of _all_ these things.' He will not
send you any unnecessary trial, nor allow you to suffer one pang that you
do not need. It may be that he saw you were loving your earthly father
too well, and has removed him from you for a time, that thus he may draw
you nearer to himself; but never doubt for one moment, dear one, that it
is all done in _love_. 'As many as I _love_, I rebuke and chasten.' They
are the dear Saviour'