“She surely cannot fancy him!” the mother said to herself with a sigh of relief; but instantly came the remembrance that the disparity of years had been still greater between herself and the husband she had loved with all the strength of her nature—­so loved that never for a moment could she admit the idea of the possibility that any other could fill his place in her heart.  What more could she ask for her beloved child, for this life, than such wedded bliss as she herself had known?

But how could she spare her! especially so soon after resigning her sweet namesake daughter to another.  It was only the unselfishness of her mother love which could at all reconcile her to the thought.

She longed to know whether she were likely to be called upon to make the sacrifice, but generously resolved to use no means to discover the state of her child’s feelings until the captain had spoken.  In the mean while she would neither make an opportunity for him nor throw any obstacle in his way.

Her toilet was scarcely complete, and she had just dismissed her maid, when a tap on her dressing-room door was followed by her father’s entrance.

“Ah, papa! good-morning!” she said, her face growing bright with pleasure.  “Are you well, my dear father?” going to him and putting her arms about his neck.

“Perfectly, my darling,” he said, caressing her.  “How are you? how did you sleep?”

“I am able to answer, Very well indeed, to both questions, papa,” she returned brightly.

“You didn’t let worrying thoughts keep you awake?”

“Oh, no, sir!”

“And is your answer to Capt.  Raymond still the same?”

“Yes, papa,” she said, with an involuntary sigh.

“I don’t believe you wish him success,” he remarked, with a slight smile and a keen, searching look into her face.

“No,” she said, the tears starting to her eyes; “I had thought to keep my sweet child for years to come.”

“But you have no objection to him, more than you would have to any one else?”

“No, papa, I have learned to think very highly of him, and believe my darling’s happiness will be safe in his hands—­if she loves him.  Yet I trust far more to your judgment than to my own.  You approve of him, do you not?”

“Entirely; yet, like yourself, am so loath to part with Violet that I shall heartily rejoice if she declares herself indifferent to him.”

“I long to end my suspense in regard to that,” Elsie said, “but have decided to endure it until the captain has spoken; because it seems better and kinder not to embarrass her by any hint of the state of his feelings.”

Her father expressed approval of her resolve, then as her children came trooping in for their loved morning half hour with “mamma,” with their bright faces and cheery greetings to her and grandpa, he left her and went down to the parlor, where he found Capt.  Raymond, and rejoiced his heart with the favorable response to his request.