-school, at a
distance from home and friends.

He had, on separating her from her nurse, forbidden her to hold any
communication with her, or even to ride in the direction of the Oaks--as
his estate was called--and Elsie had scrupulously obeyed him; but now he
bade her go and see the lovely home and beautiful apartments he had
prepared for her, and judge for herself of the happiness she might enjoy
there--loved, and caressed, and taught by him--and then decide.

"If she were ready to give up her wilfulness," he wrote, "she might
answer him immediately; and he would then return and their new home
should receive them, and their new life begin at once. But if she were
still inclined to be stubborn and rebellious, she must take a month to
consider, ere he would receive her reply."

Ah! to little Elsie it was a most enchanting picture he had drawn. To
live in her father's house--his own home and hers--to be his constant
and loved companion--to exchange Miss Day's teaching for his--to walk,
to ride, to sit with him--in a word, to live in the sunshine of his
love--oh, it would be paradise upon earth!

And then the alternative! Oh, how dreadful seemed to the shrinking,
sensitive child, the very thought of being sent away amongst entire
strangers, who could not be expected to care for her, or love her; who
would have no sympathy with her highest hopes and desires, and instead of
assisting her to walk in the narrow way, would strive to turn her feet
aside into the paths of worldly conformity and sin: for, alas! she well
knew it was only to the care of such persons her father would be likely
to commit her, wishing, as he did, to root out of her mind what he was
pleased to call the "narrow prejudices of her unfortunate early
training." Poor child! she shrank from it in terror and dismay.

But should she choose that which her poor, hungry heart so yearned
for--the home with her father--she must pledge herself to take as her
rule of faith and practice, _not_ God's holy word, which had hitherto
been her guide-book, but her father's wishes and commands, which she well
knew would often be entirely opposed to its teachings.

It was indeed a hard choice; but Elsie could not hesitate where the path
of duty was so plain. She seemed to hear a voice saying to her: "This is
the way, walk ye in it." "We ought to obey God rather than men."

"Ah!" she murmured, "I _cannot_ do this great wickedness and sin against
God, for if my earthly fat