She was not aware of his entrance until he was close beside her; then, looking up with a start, she colored violently.
He gently took the book from her hand and laid it away, then, lifting her from the chair, led her across the room, where he seated himself upon the sofa, and drawing her in between his knees, regarded her with a look of grave, sad displeasure.
"Has my little daughter any idea how long it is since her father bade her put up her book?" he asked in a gently reproving tone.
Elsie hung her head in silence, and a tear rolled quickly down her burning cheek.
"It grieves me very much," he said, "to find that my little girl can be so disobedient! it almost makes me fear that she does not love me very much."
"Oh, papa, don't! oh, don't say that! I can't bear to hear it!" she cried, bursting into an agony of tears and sobs, and hiding her face on his breast. "I do love you very much, papa, and I can't bear to think I've grieved you," she sobbed. "I know I am very naughty, and deserve to be punished—but I didn't mean to disobey, only the book was so interesting I didn't know at all how the time went."
He sighed, but said nothing; only drew her closer to him, pulling his arm around her, and stroking her hair in a gentle, caressing way.
There was no sound for some moments but Elsie's sobs.
Then she asked in a half whisper, "Are you going to punish me, papa?"
"I shall take the book from you for a few days; I hope that will be punishment enough to make you pay better attention to my commands in future," he said very gravely.