nd I love you very,
_very_ dearly. So shut your eyes and try to go to sleep."

She looked only half satisfied, but closed her eyes as he bade her, and
was soon asleep. She seemed thoughtful and absent all the rest of the
day, every now and then fixing the same troubled, questioning look on
him, and it was quite impossible to interest her in any subject for more
than a few moments at a time.

That night, for the first time, he went to his own room, leaving her
entirely to Chloe's care. He had watched by her after she was put in bed
for the night, until she had fallen asleep; but he left her, feeling a
little anxious, for the same troubled look was on her face, as though
even in sleep memory was reasserting her sway.

When he entered her room again in the morning, although it was still
early, he found her already dressed for the day, in a pretty, loose
wrapper, and laid upon the sofa.

"Good-morning, little daughter; you are quite an early bird to-day, for a
sick one," he said gayly.

But as he drew near, he was surprised and pained to see that she was
trembling very much, and that her eyes were red with weeping.

"What is it, dearest?" he asked, bending over her in tender solicitude;
"what ails my little one?"

"Oh, papa," she said, bursting into tears, "I remember it all now. Are
you angry with me yet? and must I go away from you as soon as--"

But she was unable to finish her sentence.

He had knelt down by her side, and now raising her gently up, and laying
her head against his breast, he kissed her tenderly, saying in a moved
tone, in the beautiful words of Ruth, the Moabitess, "The Lord do so to
me, and more also, if aught but death part me and thee." He paused a
moment, as if unable to proceed; then, in tones tremulous with emotion,
said: "Elsie, my dear, my _darling_ daughter, I have been a very cruel
father to you; I have most shamefully abused my authority; but never
again will I require you to do anything contrary to the teachings of
God's word. Will you forgive your father, dearest, for all he has made
you suffer?"

"Dear papa, don't! oh, _please_ don't say such words to me!" she said;
"I cannot bear to hear them. You had a right to do whatever you pleased
with your own child."

"No, daughter; not to force you to disobey God," he answered with deep
solemnity. "I have learned to look upon you now, not as absolutely my
own, but as belonging first to him, and only lent to me for a time; and
I know t