“Nor I mine,” said Rose.
“Oh, we’ll make them an excuse for coming home early,” said the doctor.
“Elsie, are you going?” Annis asked.
Elsie looked at her father with wistful, beseeching eyes.
“Cousin Horace, you will let her go, won’t you?” Annis urged in her most persuasive tones.
“Are you very desirous to do so, daughter?” he asked, drawing Elsie to him, smoothing back the hair from her forehead with caressing hand, and gazing tenderly into the depths of the sweet, pleading eyes lifted to his.
“Oh, yes, indeed! dear papa, if you are willing; and you know you will be there too, to take care of me.”
“You are not very strong and I rather fear the late hours for you; but if you can contrive to take a good long nap in the afternoon of that day, I will let you go, should nothing happen to prevent.”
“Oh, thank you, papa!” she cried in a transport of joy, putting her arms round his neck to hug and kiss him.
“Of course,” he said, looking at Mildred, “I am taking it for granted that Annis is to go.”