CHAPTER THIRD.
"So fair that had you beauty's picture took, It must like her, or not like beauty look." -- ALLEYN'S HENRY VII.
Elsie paused at the half-open door of her father's private room.
Mr.Dinsmore, like most men, was fond of light and air; through the wide open windows the morning breeze stole softly in, laden with sweets from garden and lawn, and the rich carpet of oak and green was flecked with gold where the sunbeams came shimmering down between the fluttering leaves of a beautiful vine that had festooned itself about the one looking to the east.
Mr.Dinsmore was seated at his desk with a pile of papers before him--legal documents in appearance; he would open one, glance over its contents, lay it aside, and take up another only to treat it in like manner.
Elsie stood but a moment watching him with loving, admiring eyes, then gliding noiselessly across the floor, dropped gracefully at his feet and laying her folded hands upon his knee looked up into his face with an arch, sweet smile.
"Mon pere, I have come for my lecture, or whatever you have laid up in store for me," she announced with mock gravity and a slight tremble of pretended fear in her voice.
Dropping the paper he held, and passing one hand caressingly over her shining hair, "My darling, how very, very lovely you are!" he said, the words bursting spontaneously from his lips; "there is no flaw in your beauty, and your face beams with happiness." "Papa turned flatterer!" she cried, springing up and allowing him to draw her to his knee.
"I'm waiting for the lecture," she said presently, "you know I always like to have disagreeable things over as soon as possible." "Who told you there was to be a lecture ?" "Nobody, sir." "What have you been doing that you feel entitles you to one ?" "I don't remember." "Nor I either.

So let us to business.

Here, take this chair beside me.

Do you know how much you are worth ?" "Not precisely, sir," she answered demurely, taking the chair and folding her hands pensively in her lap; "but very little, I presume, since you have given me away for nothing." "By no means," he said, with a slight smile of amusement at her unwonted mood.

"It was for your own happiness, which is no trifle in my esteem.