A low cry of utter despair broke from Elsie’s lips, as she thus heard her sentence pronounced in tones of calm, stern determination; and, hiding her face on the bed, she sobbed convulsively.

Her father lifted his watch from a little stand by the bedside, and held it in his hand until the ten minutes expired.

“The time is up, Elsie,” he said; “are you ready to obey me?”

“Oh, papa!” she sobbed, “I cannot do it.”

“Very well, then,” he said, coldly; “if neither your sense of duty, nor your affection for your sick father is strong enough to overcome your self-will, you know what you have to do.  Leave the room at once, and send one of the servants to attend me.  I will not have such a perverse, disobedient child in my presence.”

She raised her head, and he was touched by the look of anguish on her face.

“My daughter,” he said, drawing her to him, and pushing back the curls from her face, “this separation will be as painful to me as to you; yet I cannot yield my authority.  I must have obedience from you.  I ask again, will you obey me?”

He waited a moment for an answer; but Elsie’s heart was too full for speech.

Pushing her from him, he said:  “Go! remember, whenever you are ready to comply with the conditions, you may return; but not till then!”

Elsie seized his hand in both of hers, and covered it with kisses and tears; then, without a word, turned and left the room.

He looked after her with a sigh, muttering to himself, “She has a spice of my own obstinacy in her nature; but I think a few days’ banishment from me will bring her round.  I am punishing myself quite as much, however, for it will be terribly hard to do without her.”

Elsie hastened to her own room, almost distracted with grief; the blow had been so sudden, so unexpected, so terrible; for she could see no end to her banishment; unless, indeed, a change should take place in her father’s feelings, and of that she had very little hope.

Flinging herself upon a couch, she wept long and bitterly.  Her grief was deep and despairing, but there was no anger in it; on the contrary, her heart was filled with intense love to her father, who, she doubted not, was acting from a mistaken sense of duty; and she could scarcely bear the thought that now she should no longer be permitted to wait upon him, and attend to his comfort.  She had sent a servant to him, but a servant could ill supply a daughter’s place, and her heart ached to think how he would miss her sympathy and love.

An hour passed slowly away; the family returned from church, and the bell rang for dinner.  But Elsie heeded it not; she had no desire for food, and still lay sobbing on her couch, till Chloe came to ask why she did not go down.

The faithful creature was much surprised and distressed at the state in which she found her child, and raising her in her arms tenderly, inquired into the cause of her grief.