In vain she remonstrated with Enna, and begged her to be more careful; it only vexed her and made her more reckless; and at length Elsie sprang from her couch and caught the doll, just in time to save it, but in so doing gave her ankle a terrible wrench.

She almost fainted with the pain, and Enna, frightened at her pale face, jumped up and ran out of the room, leaving her alone.

She had hardly strength to get back on to her couch; and when her father came in, a moment after, he found her holding her ankle in both hands, while the tears forced from her by the pain were streaming down over her pale cheeks.

“Why, my poor darling, what is it?” he exclaimed, in a tone of mingled surprise and alarm.

“Oh, papa,” she sobbed, “Enna was going to let my doll fall, and I jumped to catch it, and hurt my ankle.”

“And what did you do it for?” he said angrily.  “I would rather have bought you a dozen such dolls than have had your ankle hurt again.  It may cripple you for life, yet, if you are not more careful.”

“Oh, papa, please don’t scold me, please don’t be so angry with me,” she sobbed.  “I didn’t have a minute to think, and I won’t do it again.”

He made no reply, but busied himself in doing what he could to relieve her pain; and Chloe coming in at that moment, he reproved her sharply for leaving the child alone.

The old nurse took it very meekly, far more disturbed at seeing how her child was suffering than she could have been by the severest rebuke administered to herself.  She silently assisted Mr. Dinsmore in his efforts to relieve her; and at length, as Elsie’s tears ceased to flow, and the color began to come back to her cheeks, she asked, in a tone full of loving sympathy, “Is you better now, darlin’?”

“Yes, mammy, thank you; the pain is nearly all gone now,” Elsie answered gently; and then the soft eyes were raised pleadingly to her father’s face.

“I’m not angry with you, daughter,” he replied, drawing her head down to his breast, and kissing her tenderly.  “It was only my great love for my little girl that made me feel so vexed that she should have been hurt in trying to save a paltry toy.”

After this Mr. Dinsmore gave orders that Enna should never be permitted to enter Elsie’s room in his absence, and thus she was saved all further annoyance of that kind; and Chloe was careful never to leave her alone again until she was quite well, and able to run about.  That, however, was not for several weeks longer, for this second injury had retarded her recovery a good deal; and she began to grow very weary, indeed, of her long confinement.  At length, though, she was able to walk about her room a little, and her father had several times taken her out in the carriage, to get the fresh air, as he said.

It was Saturday afternoon.  Elsie was sitting on her sofa, quietly working, while her nurse sat on the other side of the room, knitting busily, as usual.