hat I will have to give an account of my stewardship."

He paused a moment, then went on: "Elsie, darling, your prayers for me
have been answered; your father has learned to know and love Jesus, and
has consecrated to his service the remainder of his days. And now, dear
one, we are travelling the same road at last."

Her happiness was too deep for words--for anything but tears; and putting
her little arms around his neck, she sobbed out her joy and gratitude
upon his breast.

Aunt Chloe had gone down to the kitchen, immediately upon Mr. Dinsmore's
entrance, to prepare Elsie's breakfast, and so they were quite alone. He
held her to his heart for a moment; then kissing away her tears, laid her
gently back upon her pillow again, and took up the Bible, which lay
beside her.

"I have learned to love it almost as well as you do, dearest," he said.
"Shall we read together, as you and Miss Rose used to do long ago?"

Her glad look was answer enough; and opening to one of her favorite
passages, he read it in his deep, rich voice, while she lay listening,
with a full heart, to the dearly loved words, which sounded sweeter
than ever before.

He closed the book. He had taken one of her little hands in his ere he
began to read, and still holding it fast in a close, loving grasp, he
knelt down and prayed.

He thanked God for their spared lives, and especially for the recovery of
his dear little one, who had so lately been tottering upon the very verge
of the grave--and his voice trembled with emotion as he alluded to that
time of trial--and confessed that it was undeserved mercy to him, for he
had been most unfaithful to his trust. And then he asked for grace and
wisdom to guide and guard her, and train her up aright, both by precept
and example. He confessed that he had been all his days a wanderer from
the right path, and that if left to himself he never would have sought
it; but thanked God that he had been led by the gracious influences of
the Holy Spirit to turn his feet into that straight and narrow way; and
he prayed that he might be kept from ever turning aside again into the
broad road, and that he and his little girl might now walk hand in hand
together on their journey to the celestial city.

Elsie's heart swelled with emotion, and glad tears rained down her
cheeks, as thus, for the first time, she heard her father's voice in
prayer. It was the happiest hour she had ever known.

"Take me, papa, please," she begge