"Papa, please don't make me cry," she pleaded, the soft eyes lifted to
his, filled almost to overflowing.

"No, no, I must not," he said, hastily taking out his handkerchief and
wiping away the tears before they fell. "It is shamefully selfish in me to
come and disturb your mind thus just now."

"No, papa, no, no; I will not have you say that. Thank you for coming. It
would have hurt me had you stayed away. But you would not have things
different now if you could? have no desire to."

"No, daughter, no; yet, unreasonable as it is, the thought will come,
bringing sadness with it, that to-night you resign my name, and my house
ceases to be your only home."

"Papa, I shall never resign the name dear to me because inherited from
you: I shall only add to it; your house shall always be one of my dear
homes, and I shall be your own, own daughter, your own child, as truly as
I ever have been. Is it not so?"

"Yes, yes, my precious little comforter."

"And you are not going to give me away--ah, papa, I could never bear that
any more than you; you are taking a partner in the concern," she added
with playful tenderness, smiling archly through gathering tears.

Again he wiped them hastily away. "Did ever father have such a dear
daughter?" he said, gazing fondly down into the sweet face. "I ought to be
the happiest of men. I believe I am----"

"Except one," exclaimed a joyous voice, at sound of which Elsie's eyes
brightened and the color deepened on her cheek. "May I come in?"

"Yes, Travilla," said Mr. Dinsmore; "you have now an equal right with me."

Travilla thought his was superior, or would be after the ceremony, but
generously refrained from saying so. And had Mr. Dinsmore been questioned
on the subject, he could not have asserted that it had ever occurred to
him that Mr. Allison had an equal right with himself in Rose. But few
people are entirely consistent.

Mr. Travilla drew near the two, still standing together, and regarded his
bride with a countenance beaming with love and delight. The sweet eyes
sought his questioningly, and meeting his ardent gaze the beautiful face
sparkled all over with smiles and blushes.

"Does my toilet please you, my friend?" she asked. "And you, papa?"

"The general effect is charming," said Mr. Travilla; "but," he added, in
low, tender tones saying far more than the words, "I've been able to see
nothing else for the dear face that is always that to me."

"I can see no flaw in