"You can never know, Lora, what an agonizing thought it was at the moment when I believed that she had left us forever.

I would have given worlds to have been able to live the last six years over again.

But Horace--oh, Lora! I don't believe there was a more wretched being on the face of the earth than he! I was very angry with him at first, but when I saw how utterly crushed and heartbroken he was, I couldn't say one word." Adelaide was crying now in good earnest, as well as Lora.
Presently Lora asked for a full account of Elsie's illness, which Adelaide was beginning to give, when a servant came to say that Elsie wanted to see her; so, with a promise to Lora to finish her story another time, she hastened to obey the summons.
She found the little girl still lying languidly in her father's arms.
"Dear Aunt Adelaide," she said, "I wanted to see you; you haven't been in to-day to look at your little patient." Adelaide smiled, and patted her cheek.
"Yes, my dear," she said, "I have been in twice, but found you sleeping both times, and your father keeping guard over you, like a tiger watching his cub." "No, no, Aunt Adelaide; papa isn't a bit like a tiger," said Elsie, passing her small, white hand caressingly over his face.

"You mustn't say that." "I don't know," replied Adelaide, laughing and shaking her head; "I think anybody who should be daring enough to disturb your slumbers would find there was considerable of the tiger in him." Elsie looked up into her father's face as if expecting him to deny the charge.
"Never mind," said he, smiling; "Aunt Adelaide is only trying to tease us a little." A servant came in and whispered something to Adelaide.
"Mr.and Mrs.Travilla," she said, turning to her brother; "is Elsie able to see them ?" "Oh, yes, papa, please," begged the little girl in a coaxing tone.
"Well, then, for a few moments, I suppose," he answered rather doubtfully; and Adelaide went down and brought them up.
Elsie was very glad to see them; but seeing that she looked weak and weary they did not stay long, but soon took an affectionate leave of her, expressing the hope that it would not be many weeks before she would be able to pay a visit to Ion.
Her father promised to take her to spend a day there as soon as she was well enough, and then they went away.
Elsie's strength returned very slowly, and she had many trying hours of weakness and nervous prostration to endure.

She was almost always very patient, but on a few rare occasions, when suffering more than usual, there was a slight peevishness in her tone.