th, opened again, and
a faint, weak voice asked for water.

The doctor was obliged to banish Chloe from the room, lest the noisy
manifestation of her joy should injure her nursling, yet trembling upon
the very verge of the grave; and as he did so, he cautioned her to
refrain from yet communicating the glad tidings to any one, lest some
sound of their rejoicing might reach the sick-chamber, and disturb the
little sufferer.

And then he and the motherly old lady took their stations at the bedside
once more, watching in perfect silence, and administering every few
moments a little stimulant, for she was weak as a new-born infant, and
only in this way could they keep the flickering flame of life from dying
out again.

It was not until more than an hour had passed in this way, and hope began
to grow stronger in their breasts, until it became almost certainty that
Elsie would live, that they thought of her father and aunt, so entirely
had their attention been engrossed by the critical condition of their
little patient.

It was many minutes after Adelaide left him ere Mr. Dinsmore could think
of anything but the terrible, crushing blow which had fallen upon him,
and his agonized feelings found vent in groans of bitter anguish, fit to
melt a heart of stone; but at length he grew somewhat calmer; and as his
eye fell upon the little packet he remembered that it was her dying gift
to him, and with a deep sigh he took it up and opened it.

It contained his wife's miniature--the same that Elsie had always worn
suspended from her neck--one of the child's glossy ringlets, severed from
her head by her own little hands the day before she was taken ill--and a
letter, directed in her handwriting to himself.

He pressed the lock of hair to his lips, then laid it gently down, and
opened the letter.

"Dear, dear papa," it began, "my heart is very sad to-night! There is
such a weary, aching pain there, that will never be gone till I can lay
my head against your breast, and feel your arms folding me tight, and
your kisses on my cheek. Ah! papa, how often I wish you could just look
down into my heart and see how _full_ of love to you it is! I am always
thinking of you, and longing to be with you. You bade me go and see the
home you have prepared, and I have obeyed you. You say, if I will only be
submissive we will live there, and be so very happy together, and I
cannot tell you how my heart longs for such a life with you in that
lovely