"Then I excuse you this once, daughter; it is not often you give me
occasion to reprove you."

"Thank you, papa," she said with a grateful, loving look. "Did you
come out in search of me?"

"Yes, your mamma and I had begun to grow anxious lest some accident
had befallen you. Our little daughter is such a precious treasure that
we must needs watch over her very carefully," he added in a tone that
was half playful, half tender, while he pressed the little gloved
hand in his, and his eyes rested upon the sweet fair face with an
expression of proud fatherly affection.

Her answering look was full of filial reverence and love. "Dear papa,
it is so nice to be so loved and cared for; so sweet to hear such
words from your lips. I do believe I'm the very happiest girl in the
land." She had already almost forgotten Arthur and his rudeness and
brutality.

"And I the happiest father," he said with a pleased smile. "Ah, here
comes mamma to meet as with little Horace."

The child ran forward with a glad shout to meet his sister, Rose met
her with loving words and a fond caress; one might have thought from
their joyous welcome, that she was returning after an absence of
weeks or months instead of hours. Letting go her father's arm as they
stepped upon the piazza Elsie began a romping play with her little
brother, but at a gentle reminder from her mamma that the tea bell
would soon ring, ran away to her own apartments to have her riding
habit changed for something more suitable for the drawing room.