“You are my father anyway—­always have been, always will be—­the only one I have ever known.  Thank you for taking me an outcast, orphaned baby and adopting me as your own.  Oh, I love you daddy for that!

Just a few days before a son had found a father at this man’s knee; now by the same knee Lucy first realized that this man was her father only in the fact that he had fathered her from a child; but as that, after all, is what counts most in this world, she thought none the less of him; rather, her heart went out to the man in a way unknown before.

“Chester doesn’t know this?” she asked.  “Chester is not my brother?”

“No.”

“Oh, he must know this—­he must know right away,” she panted.

“Yes—­I meant to tell—­but I couldn’t—­” said he.

“I know daddy dear; I know, don’t worry.  We’ll send for him right away—­poor boy.  There’s Captain Brown now.  I’ll run down and ask him to send a telegram.  Yes, I have his address.”

She kissed him again, holding his head between her palms, and saying softly, “Daddy, dear daddy.”  Then she sped down to where the Captain was talking in the hall.  The Rev. Thomas Strong looked up, listened to their conversation, and then smiled.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The reason why Chester permitted Lucy and his father to set out for Ireland without him was because he trusted Uncle Gilbert—­and the Lord; however, it was no easy matter to be thus left behind.  Surely, he would be more of a help than a hindrance on the journey.  He forced himself to lie abed the morning they were to be off, until after the train left.  Then, knowing he was safe from doing that which his Uncle had desired him not to do, he leisurely arose, very late for breakfast.

The problem with the young man now was what to do while he was waiting.  London sights, even those he had not seen before, were tame now.  The newly-found father and sister had already left him.  Had it not been a dream, and was he not now awake to the reality of his old life?

He found himself once more attracted to the Mission headquarters.  Elder Malby was at home that morning.  Chester told him the latest development.

“Has she—­have they—­deserted me, do you think?” asked Chester.

“No—­I don’t think so,” replied the elder thoughtfully.  “Lucy did not impress me as a girl who would do that.  I see no reason for such actions, but perhaps Uncle Gilbert was right.  Your father needed to get away from you to readjust himself to the new condition.”

“Well, perhaps,—­but what can I now do? this waiting will be terrible.”

“You’ll come with me this morning.  I have some calls to make.”

And so all that day Chester remained with Elder Malby, visiting Saints and investigators, adjusting difficulties, and explaining principles of the gospel.  It was a splendid thing for the young man, this getting his thoughts from self; and before evening, he had obtained so much of the missionary spirit that he asked to be permitted to bear his testimony at the street meeting.  “The louder the mob howls and interrupts, the better for me,” he declared.  “You remember the other evening when a young fellow stood within a few feet of you and kept repeating:  ’Liars, liars, from Utah’?”