I do it for your own good--and in this instance, as I thought you were sorry enough for having grieved and displeased me to keep you from repeating the offence, I did not consider any further punishment necessary.

But perhaps I was mistaken, and it was only fear of punishment that caused your tears," he added, looking keenly at her.
"Oh, no, papa! no indeed!" she exclaimed earnestly, the tears rushing into her eyes again; "it is worse than any punishment to know that I have grieved and displeased you, because I love you so very, _very_ dearly!" and the little arm crept round his neck again, and the soft cheek was laid to his.
"I know it, darling," he said, "I fully believe that you would prefer any physical suffering to the pain of my displeasure." "Papa," she said, after a few moments' silence, "I want to tell you something." "Well, daughter, I am ready to listen," he answered pleasantly; "what is it ?" "I was looking in my desk to-day, papa, for a letter that I wrote to you the evening before I was taken sick, and I couldn't find it.

Did Aunt Adelaide give it to you ?" "Yes, dear, I have it, and one of your curls," he said, pressing her closer to him.
"Yes, papa, _that_ was what I wanted to tell you about.

I am afraid I was very naughty to cut it off after all you said about it last Christmas; but everything was so strange that night--it seems like a dreadful dream to me now.

I don't think I was quite in my right mind sometimes, and I thought I was going to die, and something seemed to tell me that you would want some of my hair when I was gone, and that nobody would save it for you; and so I cut it off myself.