She lifted her eyes to his with the old sweet smile of filial love and reverence, shut her book and laid it on the table.
He laid his hand gently on her head, bent down and kissed her on brow and cheek and lip.
"Dear papa, won't you sit down?" she said, rising to draw up a chair for him.
"Yes," he answered; "I want a little talk with you. How wonderfully young you look to-night!—so like my little girl of other days that I feel a strong inclination to invite you to your old seat upon my knee. Will you take it?" sitting down and drawing her gently toward him.
She yielded to his wish, saying, as she put her arm about his neck and gazed lovingly into his eyes, "I am still child enough to enjoy it greatly, if I am not so heavy as to weary you, my dear father."
"I do not feel your weight unpleasantly," he returned. "You must remember I am a very strong man, and you but a slight and delicate woman. Not so plump as I could wish to see you," he added, pushing up the sleeve of her gown and clasping his fingers round the white arm.
"Isn't there plenty of flesh there to hide the bones?" she asked laughingly.
"The bones are well hidden, but the flesh is not so solid as I would have it."
"Ah, papa, you must not be so hard to please!" she said, with playful look and tone. "I think I'm in very good condition; am glad I'm not too heavy to sit here and play at being your own little girl again. What happy days those were! when I had not a care or anxiety except to please my earthly and my heavenly father."
"Would you like to go back to them?"