"Yes, if she wishes to hear it. Now away with you to your room and
your bed."

Only waiting to bid her mamma an affectionate good-night, Elsie
obeyed, leaving the room with a light step, and a cheerful, happy
face.

"Dear unselfish child!" her father said, looking after her.

"She is that indeed," said Rose. "How happy, shall I be if Horace
grows up to be as good and lovable."

Elsie was a fearless horsewoman, accustomed to the saddle from her
very early years. Thus Arthur's wanton attack upon her pony had failed
to give her nerves the severe shock it might have caused to those of
most young girls of her age. Her feeling was more of excitement,
and of indignation at the uncalled-for cruelty to a dumb animal,
especially her own pet horse, than of fright at the danger to herself.
But she well knew that the latter was what her father would think of
first, and that he would be very angry with Arthur; therefore she had
tried, and successfully, to control herself and suppress all signs of
agitation on meeting him upon her return.

She felt glad now as the affair recurred to her recollection while
preparing for the night's rest, that she had been able to do so. For a
moment she questioned with herself whether she was quite right to have
this concealment from her father, but quickly decided that she was.
Had the wrong-doing been her own--that would have made it altogether
another matter.