"Elsie, dear child," she whispered, "keep calm.
You can have no doubts or fears in putting your future in----"
"No, no, mamma, not the slightest," and the fair face grew radiant.
As Rose passed out at one door, Miss Stanhope following, with a parting
injunction to the bride not to grow frightened or nervous, Mr. Dinsmore
entered by another.
He stood a moment silently gazing upon his lovely daughter; then a slight
motion of his hand sent all others from the room, the bridesmaids passing
into the boudoir, where the groom and his attendants were already
assembled, the tirewomen vanishing by a door on the opposite side.
"My darling!" murmured the father, in low, half tremulous accents, putting
his arm about the slender waist, "my beautiful darling! how can I give you
to another?" and again and again his lips were pressed to hers in long,
passionate kisses.
"Papa, please don't make me cry," she pleaded, the soft eyes lifted to
his, filled almost to overflowing.
"No, no, I must not," he said, hastily taking out his handkerchief and
wiping away the tears before they fell. "It is shamefully selfish in me to
come and disturb your mind thus just now."
"No, papa, no, no; I will not have you say that. Thank you for coming. It
would have hurt me had you stayed away.
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