“I am inclined to think I should not risk much in leaving the decision of both questions with her,” he said, with a tenderly, affectionate glance into the sweet face of his little girl.
“Leave you, papa! to go so far away and stay so long?” she exclaimed, springing to his side, and clasping her arms tight about his neck. “Oh, no, no, no! never unless you make me do it!”
“Make you!” he said, holding her close to his heart with a low, happy laugh, “I don’t know what could induce me to permit it. My wife’s parents have some claim on her and their little grandson,” he added, looking fondly at Rose, “but you, daughter, belong entirely to me, and here you must stay while I do.”
She heard his verdict with a gleeful laugh, gave him another hug and kiss, then turned to Annis, and putting her arms about her, “O Annis dear!” she said in tremulous tones, the tears filling her eyes, “what shall I do without you?”
“Look forward to another happy time together at some future day,” suggested Mr. Dinsmore cheerily. “And now if you will don your riding-habits, we will have a gallop. I have ordered the ponies and a horse for myself, and they will be here very shortly.”
The little girls were both very fond of riding, and smiles banished tears from their faces as they hastened to do his bidding.
He exerted himself, and with good success, through the few remaining days of Annis’s stay, to keep them so busily and pleasantly employed that there should be little time for the indulgence of vain regrets.
Rose was not long in deciding to avail herself of this good opportunity to visit her parents, and as they made their preparations for the journey, the heart of each proud young mother was full of fond anticipations, of the delight she should feel in showing her lovely baby boy to his grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
“They will hardly know Percy at home; he has grown and improved so much!” Mildred said to her husband.
“Very much indeed! yet I think they will not be long in doubt of his identity,” the doctor responded with a proud, loving glance, from wife to son and back again; “he has his mother’s eyes and smile.”