He smiled and held out his hand. “Yes, it is your bedtime I know; but a little girl who has been so industrious all evening I think deserves a little indulgence.”
She was on his knee and he fondling her before the sentence was finished.
“And papa is very glad of a good excuse to indulge her and himself at the same time,” Rose said, regarding the two with a look of mingled amusement and satisfaction.
“Quite true, mamma,” Mr. Dinsmore returned, caressing Elsie again and again; “but I hardly expected you to be so keen-eyed as to see through my little subterfuge, so very small a one that in fact I was hardly aware of it myself.”
“But what has Elsie been so busy about? if I may know.”
“Oh, yes, mamma; of course you may; I have only been learning and reciting my lessons—Annis and I—so that we might go with you and Cousin Mildred in the morning; and papa says we may if nothing happens to prevent.”
“Such, for instance, as a disinclination for your company on the part of your mother and cousin.”
“No danger of that impediment,” remarked Rose, with an affectionate look at her little step-daughter, “I can answer for myself and Mildred too, that we shall be glad to have them with us.”
“Thank you, dear mamma,” said Elsie. “Papa, how much may I spend on the presents for the cousins?”
“A hundred dollars if you wish. What do you think of buying?”