“But we will pray—­you and I—­as the others are praying, that if God’s will be so, she may live and go in and out before us for many years to come.”

“Yes, papa.  Oh, I am glad that we may ask our kind heavenly Father for everything we want!  Poor Mamma Vi! how her heart must ache! and is she going to stay on at Ion now, papa?”

“Yes; certainly till her mother is out of danger or forever done with sin and suffering.  Gracie and our two little ones will stay too; Gracie amusing the others and keeping them in the grounds, or a part of the house so distant from Grandma Elsie’s room that their noise will not disturb her.”

“And you and I will stay on here, papa?”

“Yes; I must be here a good deal of the time to oversee my workmen, and shall want my dear eldest daughter to be my companion and helper in various ways, for I know she loves to be such to her father,” he added, pressing his lips to her cheek.

“Indeed I do, papa!  Oh, thank you for letting me!” she exclaimed, lifting her head and showing eyes shining through tears.  “I’d rather be here with you, than anywhere else, my own dear, dear father!” putting her arms about his neck and hugging him close.  “Only,” she added, “I’d like to see Gracie and the others for a little bit every once in a while if I may.”

“Yes, you shall,” he said, returning her embrace.  “Perhaps I may be able to take you over there for a short visit almost every day.  And in the meantime we may hope that lessons and the dressmaking will go on prosperously.”

“Are you going to spend your nights here at home, papa?” she asked with a wistful, half pleading look.

“Yes, dear child; I could not think of leaving you alone; nor would your Mamma Vi wish me to do so while she has both her brother and grandfather near her, to say nothing of the women, children, and servants; you will have me close at hand every night and the greater part of the day.”

“Oh, I am so glad and thankful!” she said, with a sigh of relief.  “I don’t think I should be exactly afraid, because God would be with me, but it is so delightful to have my dear earthly father too.  May I sleep in Gracie’e room to be nearer to you?”

“Yes; and with the door open between it and mine, so that if you want anything in the night you will only need to call to me and I will go to you at once.

“Now if there are any more questions you would like answered, let me hear them.”

“There is something I’d like to say, papa, but I’m—­almost afraid.”

“Afraid of what, daughter?” he asked, as she paused in some embarrassment, and with a half pleading look into his eyes.

“That you might think it saucy and be displeased with me.

“Do you mean it so, daughter?”

“Oh, no indeed, papa!”

“Then you need not be afraid to let me hear it.”

“Papa, it is only that I—­I think if you had talked to me this morning, when you called me to you, about the wickedness of being too proud to ask Alma’s pardon, and reasoned with me as you did a little while ago, about it all, I—­I’d have obeyed you at once; you know you do almost always show me the reasonableness of your commands before, or when, you lay them upon me.”