She had a hard struggle with herself before she could put away entirely her feelings of anger and impatience.
"Oh! this is not honoring papa," she said to herself; "he may have good reasons for what he has done; and as _I_ belong to him, he certainly has a sort of right to everything that is mine.

I will try to be submissive, and wait patiently until he sees fit to give me my letter, as perhaps he will, some time." All the morning the thought of her letter was scarcely out of her mind, and as soon as she was released from school duties, and dressed for dinner, she went down to the drawing-room, hoping that her father might be there, and that he would give it to her.
But he was not in, and when he came, brought a number of strangers with him, who remained until after tea; so that all the afternoon passed away without affording her an opportunity to speak to him.

But, to her great joy, the visitors all left early in the evening, excepting a very mild, pleasant-looking, elderly gentleman, who had settled himself in the portico, with Enna on his knees.
Elsie was watching her fathers movements, and was not sorry to see him, after the departure of his guests, return to the drawing-room, and take up the evening paper.
No one else was at that end of the room, so now, at last, she might speak to him without fear of being overheard.

She was glad, too, that his back was towards her, for she had grown very timid about approaching him of late.

She stole softly up to the back of his chair, and stood there for some moments without speaking; her heart beat so fast with mingled hope and fear, that it seemed impossible to command her voice.
But at last, coming to his side, she said, in a tone so low and tremulous as to be almost inaudible, "Papa." "Well, Elsie, what do you want ?" he asked, with his eyes still on the paper.
"Dear papa, I do so want to see Miss Rose's letter; won't you please give it to me ?" She waited a moment for a reply; then asked again, "May I not have it, papa ?" "Yes, Elsie, you may have _that_, and _everything_ else you want, just as soon as you show yourself a submissive, obedient child." Tears gathered in Elsie's eyes, but she resolutely forced them back, and made one more appeal.