sed each other down her sable cheek. "I wish Massa Horace could
see her now. I'se sure he nebber say such cruel tings no more."

"He ought surely to be here! You have sent for him, Adelaide?" Mrs.
Travilla said inquiringly. "She is very ill, and it is of great
importance that her mind should be set at rest, if indeed it _can_ be
done at present."

"I wrote this morning," Adelaide said, "and I shall write every day until
he comes."

Elsie caught the words, and turning with an eager look to her aunt, she
again spoke quite rationally, "Are you writing to papa, Aunt Adelaide?"
she asked. "Oh! _beg_ him to come home soon, _very_ soon; tell him I want
to see him once more. Oh, Aunt Adelaide, he _will_ kiss me when I am
dying, won't he? Oh, say you think he will."

"I am _sure_ of it, darling," replied Adelaide soothingly, as she bent
down and kissed the little feverish cheek; "but we are not going to let
you die yet."

"But will you ask papa? will you _beg_ him to come?" pleaded the little
voice still more eagerly.

"I will, I _have_, darling," replied the aunt; "and I doubt not that he
will start for home immediately on receiving my letter."

Day after day the fever raged in Elsie's veins, and when at length it was
subdued, it left her very weak indeed; but the doctor pronounced her free
from disease, and said she only needed good nursing and nutritious diet
to restore her to health; and Mrs. Travilla and Chloe, who had watched
day and night by her couch with intense anxiety, wept for joy and
thankfulness that their precious one was yet spared to them.

But alas! their hopes faded again, as day after day the little girl lay
on her bed, weak and languid, making no progress toward recovery, but
rather losing strength.

The doctor shook his head with a disappointed air, and drawing Adelaide
aside, said, "I cannot understand it, Miss Dinsmore; has she any mental
trouble? She seems to me like one who has some weight of care or sorrow
pressing upon her, and sapping the very springs of life. She appears to
have no desire to recover; she needs something to rouse her, and revive
her love of life. _Is_ there anything on her mind? If so, it must be
removed, or she will certainly die."

"She is very anxious to see her father," said Adelaide, weeping. "Oh,
_how_ I wish he would come! I cannot imagine what keeps him. I have
written again and again."

"I wish he was here, indeed," replied the doctor, with a look of great
anxi