He led her to the side of her steed and assisted her into the saddle as he
spoke, then vaulted into his own with the agility of youth.

"But where are Vi and her brothers?" Elsie asked, sending an inquiring
glance from side to side.

"I sent them on in advance. I wanted you quite to myself this once," he
answered, as they turned and rode at a brisk canter down the avenue.

"And I shall enjoy having my dear father all to myself for once," she
rejoined, with a touch of old-time gayety in look and tone. "Ah! papa,
never a day passes, I think I might almost say never an hour, in which I
do not thank God for sparing you to me; you who have loved and cherished
me so long and so tenderly."

"My own dear child!" he said in reply, "you and your love are among the
greatest blessings of my life."

As they rode on side by side they talked of the youngest two of her
children--Rose and Walter--both quite ill with measles; of her sister's
family, where also there was sickness among the little ones, and whither
Mrs. Dinsmore had gone to assist in the nursing of her grandchildren; of
the recent death of Enna at Magnolia Hall, the home of her daughter Molly;
and of the anxiety of the younger Elsie because of a much longer silence
than usual on the part of her absent betrothed.

She greatly feared that some evil had befallen him, and had not been able
to hide her distress from these two--the mother and grandfather who loved
her so--though making most earnest, unselfish efforts to conceal it from
all, especially her mother, whose tender heart was ever ready to bleed for