hat he had passed many hours without tasting any food.

The breakfast-bell rang, but he paid no heed to the summons. Then John,
his faithful servant, knocked at his door, but was refused admittance,
and went sorrowfully back to the kitchen with the waiter of tempting
viands he had so carefully prepared, hoping to induce his master to eat.

But Horace Dinsmore could not stay away from his child while she yet
lived; and though he might not watch by her bed of suffering, nor clasp
her little form in his arms, as he longed to do, he must be where he
could hear the sound of that voice, so soon, alas! to be hushed in death.

He entered the room noiselessly, and took his station in a distant
corner, where she could not possibly see him.

She was moaning, as if in pain, and the sound went to his very heart.
Sinking down upon a seat, he bowed his head upon his hands, and struggled
to suppress his emotion, increased tenfold by the words which the next
instant fell upon his ear, spoken in his little daughter's own sweet
voice.

"Yes, mamma; yes," she said, "I am coming! Take me to Jesus."

Then, in a pitiful, wailing tone, "I'm _all alone_! There's nobody to
love me. Oh, papa, kiss me just once! I will be good; but I must love
Jesus best, and obey him always."

He rose hastily, as if to go to her, but the doctor shook his head, and
he sank into his seat again with a deep groan.

"Oh, papa!" she shrieked, as if in mortal terror, "don't send me there!
they will kill me! Oh, papa, have mercy on your own little daughter!"

It was only by the strongest effort of his will that he could keep his
seat.

But Adelaide was speaking soothingly to her.

"Darling," she said, "your papa loves you; he will not send you away."

And Elsie answered, in her natural tone, "But I'm going to mamma. Dear
Aunt Adelaide, comfort my poor papa when I am gone."

Her father started, and trembled between hope and fear. Surely she was
talking rationally now; but ah! those ominous words! Was she indeed about
to leave him, and go to her mother?

But she was speaking again in trembling, tearful tones: "He wouldn't kiss
me! he said he never would till I submit; and oh! he never breaks his
word. Oh! papa, papa, will you _never_ love me any more? I love _you_ so
_very_ dearly. You'll kiss me when I'm dying, papa dear, won't you?"

Mr. Dinsmore could bear no more, but starting up he would have approached
the bed, but a warning gesture from the physician