“But I am your own; your very very own! I know I am for you have told me so many and many a time!” she cried, bursting into sobs and tears.
“Yes, you are,” he said gently, “and I purpose to claim my right in you again one of these days; for not for all the gold of California would I resign it entirely; but you must remember that for the present you are considered only a visitor and your own mistress.”
“But I don’t want to be my own mistress! I want to be taught and directed and controlled by you. O, papa, if you would only punish me and forgive me, I don’t think I’d ever want to be rebellious again!”
“You shall be restored to all a daughter’s duties and privileges when I deem that the proper time has come; but that is not yet,” he said; “I love you just as dearly as ever, but I think you need the lesson I am giving you, and that you could get it in no easier way. It grieves me more than I can tell to see my dear little daughter unhappy, but now and always I must seek her permanent good, rather than her present pleasure.”
“You’re kind to tell me that you love me yet, papa,” she said, wiping away her tears, “for I don’t deserve that you should, and I ’most thought that you had stopped. Papa, I hate myself for hurting you so yesterday.”
“I don’t doubt it, my child, and when the right time comes I will listen to all you wish to say to me about it, but now I must attend to my correspondence.”
“Then I’ll go away; but oh, mayn’t I have one kiss first? you said you’d give Eva one if she asked you for it.”
Then he drew her to him, kissed her twice with warmth of affection, and she went away feeling less unhappy than she had since her rebellious reply to the last order he had given her.
She found Grace in their sitting-room dressing a doll.
“O Lu,” she cried, glancing up at her sister as she came in, “you’ve been crying! What’s the matter? is papa angry with you?”