said childishly; "You must not
forget that."

"I will forget nothing that can give you pleasure, be certain of that,"
he answered, kindly.

"Now you shall lead me downstairs," she said.

"You must not walk; I will carry you."

"No, no; I am so heavy."

But he took her in his arms and carried her downstairs, as he had so
often done in her childhood, while Victoria followed with cushions and
shawls to make her perfectly comfortable.

"I am your baby again, Grant! Don't you remember how you used to carry
me about?"

"Indeed I do; you are not much larger now."

"You saucy thing! I would pull your hair only I am afraid you would let
me fall."

He carried her into the library and laid her on the sofa. Tom sprang
forward with a cry of terror at the change his absence had made in her
appearance, but a gesture from Mellen warned him that he must control
his feelings lest his anxiety should agitate her.

"I am so glad to see you, Tom, so very glad," she said, clasping her
delicate fingers about his hands, and so filling him with delight by her
look and words that he could not even remember to be anxious.

"It has seemed an age to me since I went away," said Tom. "And you have
been sick, little princess, and Bessie gone! that is strange."

"There, there," cried Elsie; "you must not talk about my appearance or
sickness or anything else! Just tell me how pretty I look, and do
nothing but amuse me."

"You seem like an angel of light," cried Tom, looking wistfully at her
little hand, as if he longed to hide it away in his broad palm.

The fire burned cheerfully in the grate, the chandeliers were lighted,
the tea-table spread, and everything done to make the room pleasant
which could suggest itself to Dolf and Victoria, in their anxiety to
please the young favorite.

"It is so pleasant," she said, with a sigh of relief; "so pleasant."

Then Victoria brought her a quantity of flowers Dolf had cut in the
greenhouse, and she strewed the fragrant blossoms over her dress and
wreathed them in her hair, making a beautiful picture of herself in her
rich wrappings and delicate loveliness.

"Now we will have tea," she said, "bring all sorts of nice things,
Victy."

"Yes, 'deed. I will, Miss! Clo she's ben a fixin' fur yer! Laws, it jis'
makes my heart jump to see you up agin."

As the girl left the room Mellen said:

"How she loves you! Everybody does love you, Elsie."

"They must," she answered; "I should die if I we